The Huntress
by bellamucha
Summary: Clare is doomed to be killed violently over and over again by the same man. Bound to a curse by a jealous gypsy she can free herself by killing evil in all its forms and by taking the life of the man that has loved her in every incarnation. A/U OOC
1. Chapter 1

**Well this is my new story. I know I have been incommunicado for a long time. Sorry about. I've updated Don't Take Me For Granted after editing to be posted tomorrow. It's long but I think you'll enjoy it. Happy New Year Y'all.**

**I do not own Degrassi. I do own Elfried and De Thorpe.**

**Prologue**

People often tragically misunderstand me. They call me names. In the tenth century they called me Harbinger...a bit dramatic for my tastes but so charming eh? Most recently I have heard Dr. Doom...I prefer to go by the name I've been calling myself for the last forty years…Eli.

I've been alive for a little more than two millennia. That's right. I was alive at the same time as Christ. I never met him, but I heard lots of good things about him. You get bored being alive for this long. People, times and places tend to run together in a considerate blur. Convenient for me since they don't tend to live long enough to be worth the memory. I haven't always been this jaded, but after you watch your boyhood friend grow old, have children and die…well caring kind of seems like too much work. Yet there have been people that have managed to get under my skin and get into my heart in a lasting permanent way. Okay to tell the truth, one person, a girl. The only problem is she keeps dying on me. Makes it hard to form any permanent lasting bonds or anything…and a man does need something to do in between the centuries it takes for her to get herself born again.

Yeah I said born again. I have a girlfriend, okay a technical girlfriend who keeps dying and being reborn. I'm not sure why she keeps coming back and why the same person keeps killing her. All I do know is that I love her and no matter what she looks like, no matter what time she's born in, and no matter what she calls herself, she will always be mine, and I will always find her.

**Chapter 1**

The first time we met was in the winter of the year 1240. It had been a fairly prosperous year for me. My land was safe. The king was pleased. My serfs were happy. The crops had been bountiful. It was time for an old accustomed feast. I summoned my gamekeeper to the castle and went to call my man Elfried to the great hall.

Having entered this life, this undead undying life in my seventeenth year I could not live by myself. No one would accept a young unshaven boy as the lord I of a bustling manor, or the head of a nomadic Sephardic tribe, a traveling bard, a knight, a noble, things I had been since time immemorial. I needed a beard, a foil, and that's where Elfried and others like him came into play. I used them to fool the general populace into believing that Ejaan/ Elijaan / Elsha/ Elisha/ Elijah/ Eli was nothing more than the dutiful son of very powerful men.

I was pacing in the anteroom, waiting to give Elfried instructions as how to speak with our man De Thorpe when she walked in. I had seen Clarjhone in the village and sometimes in the wood. The hair that curled beneath her wimple was the color of redwood and her eyes were the surface of a lake on a cloudless day. I had never spoken to her. It wouldn't have been proper according to the standards of the day to approach her unless we had been introduced formally.

Whenever I looked at her she reminded me of the sun, and life. Being alive. She made me think of fresh air and a future. I could feel a fresh wind on my face, sunlight warming my cold cheeks. I could feel the itch of green grass springing up from the ground and poking through the back of my tunic to scratch my back. I could feel, and that was the very problem. In my many lifetimes I had never yet been resentful, truly resentful of those around me who had married and produced offspring. She however made me ache for cold winter's nights and warm fires. Her skin was like the finest porcelain and her smile made me imagine that my still cold heart that no longer beat, had somehow managed to skip at the sight. For those very reasons I hated the sight of her. I had no time for sentimentality or longing. I had to make the best of the eternity that I had been handed.

"Lord Elfried, Sir Elisha," she curtsied and a blush spread across her cheek. Her ladies maid was right on her heels. She too curtsied.

I bowed, "Clarjhone."

"My father was not able to make it sire. I am here in his stead. He is still in the wood with the falconers. He did not mean to directly disobey my lord, however the hunting is quite fine as is the day. He chose to gather as much game as he could my lord."

I gave her my back and stared directly into Elfried's eyes. My green ones began to glow with a preternatural light. He looked directly into my eyes and repeated the thoughts I fed him. "I do understand the constraint of a gamekeeper Clarjhone. Be at ease for your father."

She nodded and curtsied again as did her lady. "Now, I have decided to have an old accustomed feast for the people. Those in the keep as well as without these manor walls."

She curtsied again. Her deep blue bliaut swirled around her. "I understand my lord. You will need a plentiful supply of game to feed the people. How fortuitous that my father is even now increasing your stores as we speak."

"Fortuitous in deed. Are you able to take a proper reckoning of the supplies necessary for the feast to return it to your father?"

"Yes my lord."

"Very well. Meet with the keeper of the purse. You will be informed as to w hat is necessary."

She curtsied again and turned to go, and then paused. She looked in my direction. I realized that I had been far from courteous, but I had work to do and it was necessary for me to disregard her. I dimmed the light in my eyes before turning to look at her. She blushed at my direct stare. The modesty of the British was stunning when compared to the openness of my people in what is now considered the Middle East.

"Sir Elisha."

"Clarjhone."

She curtsied, turned on her heel and left. I smirked at her retreating back. This is how she lured me into her trap and how our doomed love cycle began.

The night of the feast had arrived. Clarjhone had been consistently in my sights. She scurried back and forth across my keep as if she belonged there. I heard her directing my servants as if they were her own. She spoke with the priest as if she were the most learned of men. She filled the role of the lady of the keep as if she were born to it. It made me want her. Desperately. I couldn't have her. Couldn't touch. If I wanted to keep her I'd have to doom her to the eternity that I was trapped in.

We stood in the courtyard deeply wrapped in furs watching the guests trek upwards from their cottages. Watching the people struggle to make it in I began to seriously the wisdom of having this feast. Perhaps a side of meat for each home would have been preferable. As I saw the flushed but happy faces of the incoming children however, my fears diminished.

She turned to me and smiled. Unthinkingly I smiled back and watched a blush stain her cheeks. She was lovely. Her skin was like the finest porcelain, a perfect foil to her reddened cheeks. She wore an ermine mantle over a bliaut of pure white edged in pearls. Her wimple was silver chain net with tiny diamonds and pearls studded throughout. My keep was more prosperous than I thought. She wore a golden chain around her neck with an emerald hanging from it. Her skirts dragged along in the snow but not without revealing her pearl and gold slippers. She had rings upon her finger, but looked as if she needed only the one that would make her my wife. At that thought I turned to walk away from her.

At that moment a carriage pulled into the yard and I winced. If I had been alive a long time, this one had been alive longer. He looked to be the same age as myself but I knew his real name. He was known in the land as Sir Fitz, the man who had the ear of the king. I had no illusions as to how that was achieved. He stepped down into the snow and came towards me.

I bowed, "Master."

He smiled coldly. "Ejaan."

As always I was transported to a time when I was only Ejaan, a simple shepherd wandering the hills of Samaria. I could smell the stench of unwashed sheep, taste the sweetness of grass, feel the warmth of the sun heating my skin. The innocent laughter of a lighthearted carefree beloved oldest child rang in my ears. I could almost picture my father looking at me with pride. A gust of wind brought me back from my beloved homeland to the cold North Cumberland weather.

I looked over at Clarjhone who was staring in open curiosity at the two of us. He followed my glance and smiled chillingly. I turned away from her but not before he saw a flash of light in my eyes. I could practically hear his teeth unsheathe themselves.

"Oh Ejaan. You amuse me." He brushed past me and entered the great hall. Clarjhone came over towards me a question on her lips, but she thought better of it and continued to walk towards the hall. As she entered under the eave with her ladies maid I walked alongside her. Her maid began to laugh.

"What is it Graciela?"

"Why my lady you and Sir Elisha are beneath the mistletoe."

She surprised me by turning the palest white. Where was my blush? Swallowing she turned and proffered her cheek towards me.

"You may kiss me if you wish," she said as her pink tongue darted forward to lick her lips.

"Oh I might?"

A wicked light shone in my eyes. Fitz always brought out the worst in me. I touched her cheek and she leaned into my hand, gasping at the chill. She turned to look me in the eye and I took advantage of it and kissed her.

I pulled her towards me to deepen the kiss and was rewarded by hearing a soft moan. The shocked gasp of Graciela standing behind us brought me back to reality. I slowly released her and then had to catch her as she swooned against me.

Glaring at me she clasped her charge by the shoulder and hustled her inside the hall. I heard them arguing and then the even clip of Clarjhone's slippers as she raced away from Graciela. I smiled and followed them in.

Fitz had assumed the head of the table, and Elfried showed no signs of chagrin. I probed his mind to find out why as the head of the keep he had not shown more outrage. To my surprise it was veiled. I raised an eyebrow at Fitz who raised a goblet at me. My neurons started firing and I turned to go towards my chamber. I needed to think. The air smelled of betrayal and I needed to figure a suitable punishment for Elfried, but not before Fitz's all too knowing eyes. I passed Randall de Thorpe my gamekeeper as I raced up the stairs.

He bowed deeply. "Sir Elisha."

"De Thorpe."

"Sir have you seen Clarjhone?"

"She's not in the great hall?"

"No. Only Graciela."

"They had an earlier disagreement. She's probably trying to collect herself."

"Thank you I will continue to search for her. Perhaps she is in the crush."

"As you will."

I continued apace to my chambers deep in thought. What was Fitz doing at the keep? Why was Elfried unconcerned and compliant? Why had Fitz blocked me from Elfried's thoughts? What could this mean to my position at the keep?

I opened the door and flopped unto my bed and unto an unmoving form. Clarjhone shot up in my bed.

"Sir Elisha!"

"Clarjhone!"

"I'm sorry. I slipped into a room to recover myself. I just needed a moment I wasn't trying to be…I didn't mean to be…Oh help."

It was dark and I couldn't see her face but I was sure she was blushing. It made me smirk in the darkness. I couldn't help myself, didn't want to help myself. My enemy was in my inner sanctum. I didn't know if I'd be able to enjoy this time, these people, and my life as I had made it while he was in the vicinity. I pulled her towards me and crushed my lips to hers.

She sighed into my mouth and I felt her fingers in my hair. Her mouth was soft and her lips trembled beneath mine. Her skin was soft and warm and oh so pliant beneath my cold hands. I had a desire to see her in my bed, in light. My eyes flashed and the candles that I kept in my room were suddenly aflame. A hundred years of practice and for once that little parlor trick was finally handy. I pulled the wimple of her head and searched for the pins that held it up. The curls spilled down around her shoulders.

One thing I appreciated about the age was the fact that women's legs were bare under the skirts they wore. I slipped my hands under them and pulled her leg around my hips. I adjusted my changing body against her. She gasped into my mouth. I felt her hands pushing against my shoulders and I pulled back.

"Sir Elisha!"

Her breath came in short gasps and her entire face was red from exertion. Her forehead wrinkled as she took in the lit candles trying to make sense of it all.

"We cannot."

"We cannot?"

"We are not joined. You are not my husband. We are committing a sin."

"In whose eyes?"

"God, the church, my father…"

"But not in your's or mine?"

She hesitated before asking, "Not in your eyes?"

I shook my head. "Never in mine."

She pulled me towards her and kissed me lightly before leaning back. "Good. Then you'll marry me."

With that she hopped out of my bed, but in a flash I was at the door.

"Don't"

I pulled her towards me.

"Stop."

I kissed her neck.

"No."

My lips crept downwards to her collarbone.

"Mmmm…"

I began pulling the laces on her bliaut. She leaned into my kisses. I smiled. I could feel my teeth pushing against my gums. I fought to keep them from sliding forward. My ears filled with the sound of her blood rushing through her veins. I licked a spot near her neck and felt her shudder.

At that moment I felt the door move behind me and Elfried walked in. Or more like sauntered in. Behind him were De Thorpe and Fritz. De Thorpe was shocked. Fritz was amused.

"Oh Ejaan. You were always a selfish boy. What a jewel and you won't even share."

I must admit Clarjhone did look a treat by the candlelight. Her skin was porcelain white; her lips were swollen, shiny rubies. Her eyes were brilliant sapphires lit with an inner fire. Her hair was a brilliant river unleashed with hints of auburn treasure beneath the waves. She was a spoken word visible.

It was then I felt a drop of blood on my chin and I realized that my teeth and had burst through my gums and past my lips. Their razor sharpness had nicked the skin.

"Why does he keep calling you that?"

"What are your intentions with my daughter?"

The two questions came at me simultaneously.

"Because it's my real name. To marry her. I love her."

De Thorpe relaxed. Clarjhone colored.

"Bold words, for one who can't marry."

I growled. These words had come from Elfried and not Fitz.

"I told you he dallies with the girl. We are in his chamber. Look at her hair, it's not even covered."

I looked at him in shock and dismay.

"Yes waif, he's making a power play. I'll just snack while you make up your mind."

With that Fitz pounced on De Thorpe and ripped his head partially off his neck and let the blood spray hit the back of his throat. Clarjhone began to scream. I quickly muffled her before she brought the keep upon us.

Her eyes were wild beneath my hand as she struggled in my arms. I understood her fear and revulsion. I tried to calm her spirit by touching it with mine. Beneath the fear a look of wonder began to bloom. I had succeeded in distracting her. Fitz had always been a messy eater. How he didn't manage to kill me when he was changing me was always a mystery to me.

I held her close and tried to protect her from the carnage of watching her father being eaten by the king's closest advisor. Elfried stood smirking at me. If only he knew what was going to happen to him. The surprise came to me. I was holding Clarjhone when I felt a strong hand against my chest and I felt Clarjhone sag and fall against me. Blood burst from her lips. There was no lingering goodbye. No chance to say goodbye. There was no light in her eyes. Just the biggest look of shock and regret I have only ever seen again in my life three more times and all from her. At that moment our bond was forged. She was mine and I took her into myself swearing that I would love none but her.

Behind me Fitz stood holding Clarjhone's heart in his hand. His velvet tunic was stained with blood. I looked down at the hole in her gown. All the beautiful white she had worn was stained irrevocably with red. My eyes were blazing green and slowing turning red as the rage sank in.

Fitz looked at me. "You know the rules. You chose to defy them. By your own words in front of your very Maker you chose to defy them."

"You had no right."

"I had every right. As your Maker I had to act. I couldn't be put under manners because of the acts of a fledgling."

"I am fourteen hundred years old. Not a newborn!"

"Then act like it!"

"You murdered my lover."

"You broke the rules. And you were betrayed. Given up by your own servant. If I needed further proof that you have fallen lax there it is."

"I will be avenged."

"Of which I have no doubt."

He looked at Elfried who looked green now and not as cocky as before.

Fitz looked at Elfried and then at me. "You know where to find me. However I must be off. You're not the only Original that's giving me troubles. Whelp. For now, handle your business."

He threw her heart into my waiting raised arm and left the room. I looked at Elfried. My eyes were glowing fully red. I penetrated him fully with my gaze. I heard his thoughts full blast. They were filled with fear. I consumed Clarjhone's heart as is the manner of my sect. To honor her. To be one with her. Laying her gently on the bed I turned to face Elfried who had realized that I had rendered him incapable of motion.

"You have taken from me what I love. I will divest you of yours. Your life is now forfeit. You will know pain the like of which has never been visited on a human being before."

When they found his body his face was a perfect ricctus of horror, his spine hanging from his hand, his tongue gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Yeah, I see you people who are digging my tale. Though you're not reviewing I see the subscriptions and I appreciate the hell out of it. I'm hoping someone will make me a favorite author =). I know you want Clare to live already so this will be the second really detailed meeting/slaying in the story…I'll try to mash the other two into one chapter and get to the Clare alive goodness. I've got my sketches written out already and it's awesome. At least I think so.**

**I don't own Degrassi. If you read this chapter before you'll realize I made a historical mistake and yes I correct even those…just to make it "accurate."**

Chapter 2

The next time I saw Clarjhone was during the Renaissance in Spain. In this life she was called Clara. She was the daughter of an influential man with connections to the Medici's of Italy. He had one of the largest mostly unrivaled art collections on the continent. He was well known for his wealth, his culture and his beautiful daughters Clara and Dulcima. His daughters were the muse for many an artist and this was how I happened to come across her again.

I had fled that night to the continent making my home among the Rom, better known as Gypsies flitting across the continent. My Sephardic heritage made them look past my pale skin and strange affinity for the night time. My coin kept them even quieter. I made sure I harmed none amongst them and caused them no harm. In return for the sanctuary they afforded me, I made it my business to make them prosper. I would make sure to periodically disappear and cause an economic downturn in their encampment. Thus they grew to associate my presence with good fortune.

Even though I was gajé, they still tried to entice me to marry one of the women so that I could be a member of their kumpanía. However dishes of steaming hot delicious sarmí couldn't sway someone who doesn't eat. I walked among them in the night, helped them the best that I could, and tried to stay separate from them. However, though a dead male, I was still a man and I couldn't resist a little female companionship.

What it is about humans that draw me to them? I have no idea. All my life they have always proven my downfall. My little sister caused me to give up my life and my rightful inheritance to save her. Elfried had bought Fitz upon Clarjhone and caused me to lose the love of my life. Even in the face of all this Salbéa was to become the biggest regret of my very long life.

I was sleeping with her. The whole encampment knew she was my lover and they applauded her efforts to keep me near them. I chose her because she reminded me a little of Clarjhone. She had the usual dark look of the Rom, but there must have been gajé in her because she had auburn streaks in her dark brown hair, she had startling blue eyes. They weren't the same color as Clarjhone's, but blue is blue. I cared nothing for her, beyond her being a warm body on a cold night, and a quick top up when I needed blood. Not that she was aware of that.

I had no idea that I meant more to her than status and prosperity for the kumpanía. Somehow Salbéa had grown to love me and would do anything to keep me with her.

We had camped in Barcelona on our way down to Italy and then on to Germany. I was sitting inside Salbéa's caravan when I saw Dulcima and a young man walking by. He was a painter but I did not know this yet. She was arguing with him and begging him to take her to the fortune teller's tent to see if they would be in love forever. Looking at the way she was richly appareled and his poor garb, I knew the answer would be no. They were headed to Salbéa's tent. She was a true fortune teller, the only one I've ever met. I had to rely on the images I saw in people's minds. It was a trick that I had picked up as I continued to age. It became apparent to me that the longer I was alive, the more would be possible to me. I watched them amused as they approached Salbéa's tent and in the young man's mind I saw Clara. He was wishing that Dulcima, as lovely as she was, had her sister's personality.

I was intrigued and I made a mental note to myself to follow them back to wherever they came from. I had to meet this Clara person who so reminded me of Clarjhone. My love. My light, whose heart beat inside of mine.

They entered Salbéa's tent and as I predicted, she didn't foresee them being together forever and ever. Instead, she told them that if they managed to last the night, they were doing well. Dulcima left the tent in a snit. I followed them out of the encampment and into the main town. I looked at the house that Dulcima entered. It was twice the size of the keep where I used to live. She raced up the steps of the house and the door was flung open. A teasing voice called out "So was he your truest of loves?"

Dulcima rolled her eyes and shoved the laughing form out. If I had breath, it would have stopped. I knew that it was Clara that had been pushed out by her sister, but all my brain registered was Clarjhone.

Salbéa noticed my distraction that night as we lay in bed. I did the modern equivalent of the "I have a headache" speech and lay beside her. I could see her thoughts. She was confused and hurt. I couldn't touch her. Not when I knew that Clara was out there, somewhere, waiting for me to find her.

The next night as soon as I could I left the kumpanía and ran to the house where I had seen her. The house was open, Clara and Dulcima's father was hosting the showing of Dulcima's artist friend, Cristobal Ramirez's work and people were walking in and out of the large house. I walked in behind a couple and into a large hall where the paintings were mounted. I walked around looking for Clara, but in the press I couldn't seem to find her anywhere.

Finally I turned to a small alcove and there she was looking at the family's private collection of commissioned paintings. I found her standing in front of a painting of Dulcima. I could see in her mind's eye a comparison of herself and Dulcima. She didn't consider herself to be in the same class as her sister.

I could feel her. I could feel her strong mind and beautiful heart and open genuine character. Most of all I could sense Clarjhone inside her. It was like she stood there and beckoned to me. Come and find me. I'm here Ejaan.

I had gone back to my original name to fit in at the kumpanía. I walked up behind her. Her hair gleamed in the oil light. She was wearing a plain gown without a frilly décolletage they usually affected for modesty's sake, and she wore no hoop which was so popular at that time. Perhaps she dressed so plainly because she was at home. I know not but it was impressive and endearing. She wore yellow, and it cut into a v above her breast. A locket dangled tauntingly above her breasts which peeked enticingly up from the dress.

"Don't compare yourself to her love, you're so much more."

She gasped, startled.

"Don't be afraid. I'm sorry if I startled you."

She moved back in horror, but curiosity peeked out of her eyes. "How did you get in here?"

In her mind's eye I saw myself the way that she saw me. I was dressed like a gypsy and that's what had thrown her off. I had a gold hoop hanging from my ear and my pants were loose and had sheen to them. I raised an arm and the billowy white of my sleeve distracted me. Yeah. I could see why she was a little taken aback.

"I'm sorry. I saw all the people and I had discovered there was art…and I wanted to see…"

She bought my clumsy charm, a gypsy interested in art. No one else would have believed me, but that was not the girl that she was. She was goodness and light. She gave chances to the underdog. I hated her. I loved her. She confused me.

"I'll leave if you want."

"Don't leave. Stay. Look at the art with me."

Now I was skeptical and a little confused. Also angry. She reminded me so much of Clarjhone and I wanted to protect her. Yet here she was letting a strange gypsy lad talk to her in a dark alcove. What if I were a rapist? Yet here she is conversing in the dark with me.

"What can you show me pretty lady?"

"I can show you world's previously unseen. Landscape and countryside."

"I'm a gypsy. I'm always outside. I'm intimately acquainted with the pastoral scene."

Her brow raised. But I wanted to do that. I wanted to show off my knowledge of the arts. I wanted to win her love. This meeting in the darkened alcove started off a series of meeting at some of the most famous art houses in Spain. I was introduced to the masters. All at night. All in darkness and shadow.

One night we met out of doors and I wasn't sure if it was the darkness or the moonlight but her skin entranced me. She wore a damask gown with lowered shoulders. They shone in the moonlight. She shivered slightly in the dark. I pulled back an escaped curl and she shuddered against me. I followed my heart and kissed her neck. She moaned softly.

"I'm sorry Clara. I can't seem to help myself."

"Neither can I Ejaan."

She turned in my arms and our lips met. She even tasted like Clarjhone. I gently lowered her slowly to the ground and pulled her on top of me. I kissed the curve of her ear and moved her sleeves slowly down her arms trailing kisses all the way.

She kissed my jaw and ran her hand through my hair. "I don't know Ejaan. But I feel like I know you."

"You do?"

"I feel that in another time we might have been lovers."

I was kissing up her neck this time and smiled against her mouth. "We could have been Clara. Or nearly. Very nearly."

Suddenly we could hear her name being called. It was Dulcima out looking for her sister. She pulled away from me and started adjusting her clothing. I smiled at her.

"Do you think your sister will cover for you?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You have passion marks on your neck and your hair is down around your shoulders. If she's your friend she won't say anything and she'll help arrange your hair. If she's not then you might be in true trouble."

"She won't say anything Ejaan. I think she'll be thrilled. She's always wanted her little sister to suffer a sudden fall from grace."

I leaned forward and gave her a kiss and leaned away. "Good."

She smiled at me and turned around to walk away. "I'll see you tomorrow Ejaan."

That night I lay in the bed waiting for Salbéa to join me but she sat in a chair glaring resentfully at me. "You've gone and done it now haven't you?"

"Done what?"

"Found your true love. The one you lost. A long time ago."

I sat up in the bed. "What?"

"I know what you are Ejaan. You think we don't have words for your kind. I'm not a naïve little gajé out there, meeting her lover in the moonlight. Not questioning why he's so cold. Why his heart doesn't beat. I've fallen asleep in your arms. I know your heart doesn't beat lover. You never warm up when we make love. You always stay so cold."

"Woman what are you blathering about?"

"I know Ejaan! I know!"

"What do you know?"

"I know that you're a vampire love. I know that you're old. I know that girl Clara that you meet…she's not just some woman that you are being unfaithful to me with. Oh I know it love. I know it. I know you ate her heart and it beats deep down inside you. Beating for you. Beating to find her again."

"Are you saying that Clara is…"

"Yes. She's the reincarnated version of your former love. But you don't deceicve a brujé."

"What are you blathering on about now?"

"I know your real name is Ejaan. I found it. I am a brujé. I know how. I curse you Ejaan. I curse you. I know."

I was a little frighted. Just a little. I knew the power my name gave her. What was she going to do to me?

"Your love isn't going to last the week."

"My love for her is eternal. I'll make her like me. We'll be together. I'll take care of her."

"Oh no my love. The unavenged one you call master will soon be here. He will make you pay for your disobedience. But I will get my revenge. You might have her heart now. But I will make her useful. I will get my revenge on you"

"Yeah. How do you plan on doing that?"

"She will die in your arms thrice from this night. Each death will sharpen her. Make her bitter. Make her strong. She will be the perfect weapon to wipe you and the evils of the dark from the face of the earth."

"You're going to make her kill evil? This is your big revenge?"

"I tie your hearts this night I do. For every pain I pain you the more. I magnify your bitterness. You will feed like your creator. You will kill like an animal. Oh I know. You will have revenges. You will give pain. And when your joy returns, for she must return. She will live because you will die."

"Are you trying to say that I give my life for her? How is that revenge? If I were to die that's the only way I would want to foolish mortal."

"Foolish am I? I a fool?" At this she gave a bitter little laugh. " I will make her a huntress. The huntress. You my mocker, my jester king, will be her prey. I will make your death at her hands, your destiny. I will rewrite fate I will. See me if I don't."

She screamed and fell to the ground in a passion. There was a knock at the door and people began swarming in. She began clawing at her hair and at her body and her clothing. She began to laugh in her maniac passion. "My revenge. I'll have my revenge."

Salbéa's mother rushed towards me and slapped me soundly across the face before she fell into weeping. "You've as good as killed her you brute. You've as good as killed her. She used magicks. I can feel them in the air."

"Killer!"

" Night walker!"

" Murderer!"

"What are we to do; our fortune teller has gone mad."

The head of the kumpanía came forward and asked me to leave. As he walked me to the edge of the encampment he explained that Salbéa had been driven mad by her curse. When a powerful brujé casts a strong binding curse, the power is so much that it can drive them mad. He looked at me resentfully knowing full well I was too powerful for him to kill. The only person in the whole kumpanía that had that power was now writhing around insane on the floor.

Seeing that she had to extend herself across centuries and lifetimes to properly curse me, I could see why she had been driven instantly insane. As I walked towards the town proper I could see a throng of people out for a festival. It was then that I noticed a shock of reddish brown hair. Though I hadn't seen him in centuries I knew instantly who it was. My idyll was over. It was Fitz.

I was limited. I was conflicted. I was crazy and desperate. I had seen Fitz on the street. I didn't want to run to Clara's home. It might alert him that I was aware that he was in Barcelona. It would alert him to the fact that I was nearby. He would also know that once again I was involved in something illicit.

I checked myself into a boarding house and waited for nightfall the next day to visit her. However I awoke to an invitation on my bed. It was to a party being held at a high ranking scholar's house. I was invited by Fitz. My heart, that immobile traitor sank into my stomach.

I arrived cautiously and was surprised that no one greeted me at the door. There was no footman to help me out of the hack I had hired, or butler to divest me of my coat. I opened the door myself and I was dismayed at what I sensed. There were people there, but not any that breathed. All around me was evidence of Fitz's presence.

The servants had been killed, brutally viciously broken open and fed upon. Some of the murders looked juvenile if I might say so, for a vampire of Fitz's age. It was when I walked into the great hall that I realized that Fitz had turned the scholar, and in a fit of hunger he had stalked through his own home killing his servants wantonly, feeding, trying to assuage a thirst that would never go away. What can quench the feeling of being alive?

What caught my attention was the sight of Clara tied to a chair in the middle of the great hall. She had tear tracks down her cheeks and she wore the gown from the night before. I saw Fitz and his scholar friend gazing at her hungrily and I gritted my teeth and stalked towards them.

"Fitz why?"

He raised a brow at me. "Naughty naughty Ejaan. You know the rules yet you persist in giving your heart. What is it about you and redheads?"

Clara looked up at me. Her mouth was gagged but I saw something that looked like hope and relief in her eyes.

"Ejaan. I'm not an evil man. You're just a slow learner." He turned to the scholar and someone out of my range of sight. "Chain him."

I turned to struggle but I was pounced upon by the scholar and two of Fitz's acolytes and chained to a wall. The scholar a sick man. Who just has chains in his hall?

"Ejaan. Pay careful attention. I only ever want to do this once."

With that he nodded and the scholar and the acolytes actually began to peel Clara's skin from her body. She screamed against the gag. Loud heart rending screams and sobs and pleas for mercy that fell on deaf ears. I stared in helpless horror and outrage. Clara. My love. Again. Salbéa had been right.

They lapped at the blood as it came but eventually I was looking at a mass of muscles before me slumped in the chair, gag over its mouth, it's hair like a grotesquely beautiful wig perched atop her head.

I began to scream.

Fitz laughed. "Only the once Ejaan. I'm leaving and they'll untie you now. But know this. As much as I love you, I will make you hate me. If needs be, I will destroy you. I am not above it. I am not weak."

With that he turned on his heel and for the second time in our long life together, left having totally destroyed my life.

What little humanity I clung to, I pretended to for civility's sake went out the door with him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Well here is the 3****rd**** Chapter. Man Alive….well the next chapter jumps forward to present day and Clare will live and kick butt and all the Degrassi people that you know and love…or hate will be appearing…in roles that are different and new. I hope you like it. Review if you do.**

**I don't own Degrassi…but everything else in this tale is the result of my fertile imagination.**

**Chapter 3**

You'd think that I'd try to look for her, knowing that she could be reborn, knowing that she would be reborn. I didn't. I told myself I didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore. I decided that love was too painful and not for me. I decided also that from now on I was going to take what I wanted and not form any attachments to anyone or anything. I roamed the continent leaving death and destruction in my wake.

A person could wake up one morning to find their family killed and arranged grotesquely in their bedroom. I made bets with men that I know they couldn't keep and I'd pretend to let them walk away from their defeat. Then I'd meet them down the road and behead them, or disembowel them, or torture them in ways that amused me. I'd light fat men on fire – just to heart that extra pop and crackle the fat gave the flames. That's something you can not achieve from a slender person.

Clara's screams pierced my mind whenever I fell asleep in the early mornings. I would awake and steel myself to get through the day. Some mornings I stayed awake and contemplated walking out into the sunlight and ending it all. I've been burned more times than I care to remember by "accidentally" leaving the lid of my coffin open in a brightly lit room.

There must have been a little part of me however that wanted to see her again…Clarjhone, Clara…whatever she would be called whenever I saw her again. That little part would always win out. I would rise another night. Live another decade. Live another century. All in hopes that maybe someday….

Eventually I left the continent to go to the "New World". It was everything I wanted, wild and untamed, and it was everything that I didn't want. I loved the open spaces and the native people. I didn't love the slavery that came into the new world.

I once saw a man hang a young black slave and cut his genitals off, then set him on fire, all with a smile on his face. I had to get to him. I convinced him I was some sort of backwoods djinn there to grant his every wish. You know what he wished? He wished to be hung like a black man. So I hung him. Strung him up from the tallest most visible tree on his miserable plantation and cut his genitals off and stuffed them in his mouth as he was still struggling for air. I didn't set him on fire though. I wanted everyone to see him. To know what had happened to him. No obscurity for him.

I went out to the west. I wanted to live and breathe free. I didn't want to be surrounded by all the death and dying that was on the fringes of the eastern United States. That was where I ran into Clarabelle.

She was a vision. She lived in the far reaches of Texas, in one of those little ranching towns. She also had one hand. One handed or not she was still too much for me. That one little hand managed to sneak into my chest and squeeze at my heart.

I was at the Last Train Saloon one night, my hat covering my eyes and most of my face. I was seated in shadow. No one would really buy the idea of some baby-faced killer. I looked out the front windows and I saw her, a red-headed girl in a blue gingham dress down to the ground. Her beautiful hair was in a topknot on top of her head. She was smiling and she turned towards me and her eyes were all lit up…like she was in a secret world of beautiful things that nobody saw but her….and she had a package in one hand and then I saw a tiny pale stump poking out from the other sleeve.

Either way it was too late. Disfigurement or not I was in love for third time, same girl. I had to leave town. I had to get out of there. She walked towards a waiting wagon where a smiling man with sad eyes was waiting for her. He took the package out of her hand and then helped her into the wagon and they rode off.

I tipped my hat up, placed a bill on the table and sauntered out of the downstairs hall and up to the private rooms that they had for rent. I had to get my stuff and get out of there if it killed me. I knew that it would if I had to see her die before me again.

I went downstairs to settle up, but I couldn't find the owner. I was about to leave when the bouncer came over to me and told me if I wanted to stay in one peace I'd pay my bill before I tried to walk out. I offered to give him the money but he told me I had to stay put till morning. I had no problem blowing past him, but I was unwilling to attract attention to myself. I shrugged nonchalantly and turned back up to my room.

It was a mistake. I had drawn the curtains in the room and lay down to sleep early that morning when the sound of whistling filled the room. I opened my eyes to see Clarabelle walking around my room, cleaning. I sat up in the bed and she gasped and started stammering and apologizing and backing her way out of the room. Groggy I turned over and went back to sleep. Later in the day I made my way downstairs determined to find someone to accept my cash when I ran into her again. She was sitting in front of the most beautiful painting of a sunset I had ever seen in my life and crying her eyes out.

No one could see her sitting there in a little side room, all the action so to speak was in the grand room where all the drinking and girls were. I had never been able to stand seeing her cry in any incarnation and I walked over to her. She looked up at me and sniffed and rubbed her eyes with her apron and tried to walk out of the room. I caught her by the hand. She blushed and looked down.

"Sir…unhand me."

"I'm sorry, but I saw you crying and…"

She gave and nervous laugh and seemed to choke back a sob. "You're the man from the red room upstairs. The one that Ms. Diane said had the face of an angel."

I smirked that. Unless Ms. Diane meant an escapee from hell or bedlam, I was nobody's angel. She looked away from me. "I guess I ought not to have said that. I'm Clarabelle. I'm the owner's daughter."'

"I'm Elijah. What were you doing in my room this morning?"

"Once a week when the cleaning lady can't make it in I clean the rooms around here. They're usually empty when I start to clean them. I was surprised to see you there."

"Yeah…I usually sleep pretty late in the day. But we're avoiding the question. Why were you crying?"

"You see that painting there?"

I looked at the one that she was pointing at, the beautiful sunset. "You painted that?"

I must have looked incredulous and she looked down at her stump of an arm, red-faced with embarrassment. "I used to paint all the time. I could paint anything that I could see. Anything in amazing detail. That's how come I lost my arm."

"What?"

"Yeah. There was a robbery at the general store. I was in there with my mother. I was hiding by the candy bins. They shot my mother and the owner. They didn't see me because I was hiding…"

She started to cry again and her eyes sparkled and shined with tears. I moved towards her without realizing it until she held up an arm to ward me off. I asked gently, "Are you okay to tell me the rest of it?"

She nodded. "I need to finish. I saw everything and I painted it. My father used the painting to track them down. They caught almost everybody but this one man. He sneaked into my room and took me out. Carried me to the middle of nowhere and he covered my mouth."

She started to shake and moan, I put my arms around her and she didn't resist. The rest came out in a near whisper. "He…he …he heated a knife in the fire and cut off my right hand. Told me I'd never ever paint again. Never catch him or his posse again."

"Shit."

"I was only ten years old. Ten."

I looked at the painting and shook. If she could do that at ten, if she had been able to keep her hand, I wondered what she would be able to do now.

She turned and pressed her face into my shirt. Now I understand why she was crying. She was still in some ways that little frightened ten year old that had just lost her mother and then was abducted and abused in a frightening way. She would never paint again, and it would take a heck of a man to look past her infirmity and see the beautiful woman that she was. If I could find the bastard that did this to her I would make him pay for it. Dearly. A little eye for an eye for a hand for an arm for a leg.

She came to herself and then pushed away from me apologizing profusely. "I didn't mean to cry all over you or burden you with my stor-"

I pulled her to me and crushed my lips to hers. She wrapped her arm around my head and leaned into me. I don't know how long we were locked in our embrace but I felt a hand wrench me back and then a fist connected with my jaw. I growled and sprung at the offender when I heard Clarabelle scream "Papa!"

The blood lust settled in veins and I drew back only to hear a silky smooth voice say "At it again Ejaan?"

I cursed and spit on the ground. Fitz.

"Have you taken to just following me now? Hoping I'll mess up?"

"Why yes. I have. Ever since Spain you've become quite interesting. I especially loved what you did to that lady in Munich. You know the one you glamoured into cutting off her limbs to be more attractive? Way to use your gifts."

"Doesn't explain what you're doing here."

"Oh I've been sent from the powers that be. Keep an eye on you….make sure you don't go too far out of line. From this little lady's coloring I see you have. Again. Ejaan. What am I going to have to do to these girls to keep you away from them?"

I growled and leapt at him. He knocked me away and sprung at Clarabelle. Her father not understanding what was going on tried to help by restraining me and I ripped his arms off to keep him from holding unto me. I heard Clarabelle screaming in fright. Fitz had his fangs sunk into her neck and the blood spray was painting the room. She looked at her father who had sunk unto the ground in shock, watching the blood spraying from his arm stumps. She reached out to me, her face and body coated in a mixture of her father's blood and her own.

"Help me...please."

The pleading look in her eyes made me spring to her again and Fitz in anger plunged his hand into her chest and ripped out her beating heart.

"I was trying to think of something creative to do here. But this time you want to fight. If you do this again…I won't be so kind. The macabre suits me."

He turned and ran out of the room. I sat in the room clutching Clarabelle to my chest. My eyes were red with rage. I practically trembled. The sound of thunder could be heard outside. Lately that had been happening whenever I was feeling an intense emotion. I felt something like electricity begin to coil inside of me. It grew stronger and stronger until I could feel myself lifting off the ground. As I rose past the painting I snatched it off the wall and floated forward to the door.

I was aware of someone running towards me as I floated past them holding the bloodied body of the owner's daughter. I reached out a hand and smashed their head into the wall. I felt the bone and gristle as their head collapsed in.

**1950**

I was in Manhattan on a rampage. I'd abandoned myself to the dark side and what a dark side it was. I ran into all manner of supernatural creatures that I had never acknowledged before. There were witches, wizards, werewolves, centaurs, demons, sirens, incubuii, succubi, fairies, goblins, hobgoblins and the like. I was riding it rough over them all. I was currently holding a fairy hostage in my basement and using iron bolts as combination torture and restraint device. Every now and again I'd give her a glass of water with iron shavings in the bottom. You know just for a laugh.

I'd finally become old enough to walk in the daylight, which opened up a new world of possibilities for me. There were things that walked in the day that did not show their faces in the night. Lately I'd taken to haunting the local high schools and convincing unsuspecting girls to lay down their virtue. You'd be surprised at how many readily answered the call. I toyed with the idea of enrolling at a local school as a student. The idea of being a student in a school didn't particularly hold water with me after two millennia of not being enrolled in any form of formal education.

On one of my jaunts through the halls of some high school I ran into Clara Beth. I had a sunny little blonde pressed against the wall. She was doing the normal flirt thing, popping her gum almost obnoxiously (does that work on human males?) and twirling her long blonde hair, her eyes trying to burn themselves into my brain. I was looking straight at her and I still can't tell you what color her eyes were.

I heard tittering and someone whispering to someone else "Isn't that shameful how Heather P. will just throw herself at any man? I mean I doubt the boy is aware of anything she's saying."

"I know Clara Beth, but what can you do? When you're burdened with that much boob, there's not much material left for brain is there?"

"Allison you are wicked."

I turned my head to see who these vixens were who had completely trashed my date and reminded me of her name at the same time. When I saw the red hair and the blue eyes, the short voluptuous figure I cussed a blue streak a mile long. Heather sputtered, "Excuse me?"

I quickly apologized and backed away from her. Using all my super speed I became a blur headed towards my house. I locked the doors like it was the Werewolf Uprising of 1902 all over again.

I'd seen her. When I saw her face I felt her. It was Clarjhone. It was Clara. It was Clarabelle. I knew Fitz was in the area. True to his word, as my exploits had grown, he pressed in closer, just a friendly reminder that there were others watching who would end my romp through immortality if I stepped too far out of line.

I knew that if I ran into Clara Beth again she'd lose her life. What should it matter to me? What should she matter to me? I didn't know her. She wasn't anything more than a too vivid reminder of some dead girl from over seven hundred years ago. I had to think what to do. Where could I go? How could I let one tiny slip of a female drive me out of my home and my pursuits because I didn't want her to die?

I killed girls by the hundreds. I killed the subkin* by the thousands. I mean what does the life of one girl mean in the grand scheme of things? It means everything and then it means nothing. It's not just some girl. It's _**the**_ girl. The one that I could face the end of time and life with. We could stare eternity in the face together as we watched this big earth come to a winding stop. If she'd just live through one damn night together that is.

I walked out into the afternoon and towards a diner not too far from _**her**_ school. I opened the door and walked to a corner booth in the back and stopped. She was seated in the far corner. She had glasses on that were slipping down her nose and her head was bent towards a giant text book. She was taking notes and sipping from a tall glass of coke occasionally. There was a giant plate of French fries in front of her that seemed ignored.

As I watched her place the straw against her lips I was drawn in by their plump redness. Did she know how desirable she was? A stray drop slipped past her teeth and rested on her mouth. Her tongue shot out to lick it up. That decided it. I slipped into the booth and snatched a fry from her plate. She looked up.

"You're that guy that was with Heather P. this afternoon."

"And if I was?"

"What do you want with me?  
"I decided that I was into smart girls. You look about my speed."

She actually laughed at me. She picked a fry up off her plate and considered me. "Well, I'm into smart guys and seeing that you were with Heather P. that puts you at the bottom of the list."

Okay. Now I really liked her. While the other versions of my love could be a little quiet and modest at times because of the age I was a little intrigues by this sassy Clara Beth. I wondered briefly what the future incarnations would be like but then as always I became entranced by the one before my eyes.

"Not in your league huh?"

"Not even close."

I laughed and walked over the counter. "Can I have chocolate malt please? Bring it to the booth in the corner."

I walked back over to her. "You don't even know what league I'm in."

"I'm trying to get work done here."

"Okay. You don't know I could help out. Show that maybe you're not my speed."

At that moment the waitress showed up with my malt and I took a fry and dipped it in my drink.

"That is disgusting."

"That is perfect and you have no idea what it is that you are missing out on girly."

"By the way those are my fries."

"I know. But you just had them there all alone and abandoned. I had to make them feel as though somebody wanted them."

We sat in the diner booth going back and forth. Finally she looked at the time and uttering a mild oath started packing up her books. As she removed her glasses and slowly placed them in their case I rushed to the counter and paid for our food. She looked at me suspiciously. "You didn't have to do that."

"No. I had to do that. May I walk you home?"

"Or to the subway? I may go to school in Manhattan but I live in Brooklyn."

We walked to the subway and she talked to me of her hopes and dreams. She didn't want to be a little Suzy Homemaker like all the other girls. She had dreams of going to college and putting her degree to some real use. She wanted to go into journalism and right the injustices of the world.

It made me a little nauseated because in her I could see the same fiery spirit that was in Clarjhone who had believed in rights for the serfs, and even though she was just a girl she stepped competently into the role of representative for her father. She was for justice and equality like Clara, who though I had appeared to be a hated gypsy, someone that wasn't allowed to grace a front step of a common person's home, had trod beside me through her home where only the wealthy had been previously allowed to enter.

As we walked she pointed out things to be in the surrounding area that I had never noticed before. In that she was my brief Clarabelle all over again. We walked down to the subway and I actually got in with her. We sat in a subway car and started talking all over again.

We sat in the car until it was empty and it was only her and I alone.

"How far do you live Clara Beth?"

"Far…into the outer reaches of the earth. We're going to the end of the line and then after that I have to take a bus. Then walk some and I'll get home."

"You have all that way to go and you let me keep you out this late?"

She blushed. "I didn't notice the time."

I slid close towards her. "Why was that?"

She bowed her head down. "You know why."

"No I don't. Tell me."

"You fascinate me."

I looked at her. "Enough to let me kiss you?"

"This is crazy. We've been talking all this time and I don't even know your name."

"It's Elijah."

"Clara Beth but you somehow already knew that."

"So Clara Beth, will you let me kiss you?"

"Only, a touch perhaps?"

I touched her chin and angled her head towards mine. I brushed my lips against hers. Fire.

She looked at me bemused. Not understanding, she pressed her fingers to my lips and then back against her own. I brushed my lips over hers again. She clutched the sides of my face and deepened the kiss of her own accord. I nudged her nose with mine and kissed the line of her jaw.

A wild idea occurred to me. What if I turned her? Then what could Fitz do? She'd be one of us, bound to our same laws and ideals. He'd be bound not to harm her. He'd have to leave her up to me, her maker.

I began to pet and soothe her into compliance. Every now and again I'd nip her lip, her neck. I didn't want her to feel it was unnatural when I went for the actual bite. I positioned her to straddle me and then I slid my hands down her sides and brought them forward up towards her breasts. She gasped and it had the desired effect. She tilted her head back and exposed her neck to me. I created extra saliva and used it as an analgesic to numb the air before I let my teeth slide forward and I pressed them gently into her neck.

My head spun with the taste of her blood against my lips and slipping over my tongue. She moaned and it felt as if she were adjusting herself to give me better access. Distracted I arched her backwards and trailed kisses down to the top button of her shirt.

At that moment the doors opened and we were too caught up to pull apart. All I heard was Fitz's angry roar and I felt her being snatched out of my arms. I tried to cling to her. Pull her back to me. I couldn't.

He placed her over his knee and I could hear her spine break. I felt weak and useless. She reached out to me of course and I wondered when would I ever get over this weakness I felt in his presence? When was I going to be able to save the girl? I knew I wasn't weak. It was just that he was strong. He had been alive longer and of course he was my Creator. I have yet to hear of a time when the underling was able to defeat the master.

He flung Clara Beth to the ground and threw himself at me and we brawled. I threw him into the side of the train car and tried to run towards her. She grabbed me by the ankle and dragged me towards him. Using one of the straps he placed it around my neck and tried to tear my head off with it. I kicked at him and sent him catapulting through the door at the end.

Clara Beth was coughing up blood. I bit my lip and kissed her allowing my blood to flow into her broken body. As she took it in I could hear her bones being mended. I just needed to drain her a little more and exchange a little more blood with her and we'd be free of Fitz and his obsessive need to destroy the love of my life.

"What's going on?"

"Shh…just bear with me. You'll be safe soon."

"Okay. There was such pain."

"I know. I know."

At that moment Fitz came bursting through the connecting door and ripped the official door open. He picked Clara Beth up and threw her into the darkness. I heard a snarl and a roar as two large werewolves ran out of the darkness and ripped her in two. Her entrails splashed against the side window of the train.

Fitz chuckled. "I don't usually have to travel with such a rough element but I had a feeling this time that it was going to be necessary. You were actually trying to change her."

"If I was? What business is it of yours?"

"Didn't your sister teach you anything? Didn't her death show you something about this life that we lead? What if you had killed her?"

"Then I would have to live with it. But I wouldn't feel so futile. I would know that I had tried to something."

Fitz had the bleakest look I had ever seen in his eyes. I remembered how much he had loved Sunil before her death.

"You'd have to live with it. Ejaan. That's the problem."

***subkin – **creatures of the underworld. Werewolves, fairies, demons, djinn…supernatural folk.


	4. Chapter 4

**Did you miss me? I was never done with this story. Not at all. My life is its own private freak show of horror and missed opportunities etc. I've been up the wall because of my computer and the busyness that is my life. **

**But here it is – new chapter in time for the part where they're trying to anesthetize the viewers of Degrassi into forgetting what we love about the show.**

**Hope you love the looooooooong awaited chapter. I definitely don't own Degrassi. Just the inability to know when to shut up. I own Saarasha.**

**Chapter 4 **

My name is Alliyah Bhandari and I am interrupting Eli's story and what will essentially become Clare's story to tell you how we made the jump. After Clara Beth's death Eli went berserk. He attacked everyone and everything that crossed his path that he took a dislike to. Those in charge –The Pre-Existent Ones- sent volley after volley of assassins to take him out. But he had to live you see. He had to be alive so that he could see Clare again…and so that she could rip his heart out. The world was a savage garden of twisted irony and intrigue that revolved all around him. He chose when to enter in, what lived, what died, what he saw and heard….he lived in a savage garden of twisted irony- and he was its Jester King.

**1999**

I sat on a bed watching Clare. She was deathly pale and the blood that had been spilling down the front of her dress had long ago coagulated. There was no steady rise and fall of her chest to reassure me that she was only sleeping and that she'd soon be up and be the Clare that I loved and knew better than anyone else. She was gone.

I looked down at the floor that was covered in her blood and wondered if I had miscalculated and had done her in too soon, and in so doing ripped out my own heart and taken the best friend I would ever have away from me.

Suddenly the sound of sharp painful breathing filled the room. Her chest rose sharply and she breathed in- a painful gasp. Crap. I guess I had punctured a lung. Her eyes shot open and she looked at me. I breathed a sigh of relief. Her gaze was filled with a terrible loathing and she fought to catch a breath and rise off the bed at the same time. She looked at me and it seemed her will to rise intensified.

Finally she shot off the bed and lumbered towards me. I smiled at her as she doubled up her fist and planted it square in my jaw.

"Alli Bhandari you bitch! How could you stab me?"

I guess I should explain how that came about. To truly grasp what happened here you have to travel with me to the beginning. I am Alliyah Bhandari. I am subkin. I am the daughter of a human and a djinn.

My mother was created before the earth was new and the moon controlled the tides. At least that's the way that she likes to begin her stories of her birth. She lived as a human girl, and then was made to endure the painful djinn birth. She struggled against her owner, managing to kill him and gain her freedom. She traveled the world outside of India. She went to Greece where she was revered as an oracle. She's very spot on at predicting the future. I've inherited some of that from her. Eventually she made her way back home where she became revered as a god. I have to admit it's kind of weird to see statues of your mother with many many breasts. Yet that's how she knew she'd be a good mother. She was a nurturer from the beginning. My father was one of her followers and it was his devotion, his pure love that touched this very jaded being and caused her to give up her immortality to be with him.

It's very romantic and very not practical. At least to my way of thinking. However, if not for their love where would I and Savtaj be? While giving up her immortality my mother did not give up all her powers and so they trickled down through the womb to me.

I was the daughter of a very very powerful former goddess/djinn/oracle. The subkin that attended my birth were the type that could not be summoned, they were so powerful, and they came and went under their own power. They marked me at my birth as a boon to my mother who they loved after their own fashion. You could not see the marks with the naked eye, but they were very visible to subkin. I could go anywhere unmolested at least by subkin, but not by humans. Thus was the advent of Clare.

I was on the playground at school crying as two mean older girls took the chaipattie my mother had made for my lunch and threw it on the ground. They were laughing at me when this auburn haired tergament showed up and laid into them. She didn't hit them or anything; she just threatened to let the teacher know what they were up to in a very nice/nasty manner. Soon they had run off. She turned to me, "Wanna share lunch with me? I have turkey and Swiss sandwiches if you want."

I was surprised to see that she was as small as me. She had long curly reddish hair that was up in a ponytail and she was wearing glasses that did little disguise the startling beauty of her eyes. I smiled at her.

"Thank you. I'm Alliyah. Alliyah Bhandari."

"I'm Clare Edwards. Are you okay?"

I shyly nodded at her. "Do you wanna be friends?"

"Best friends?"

I smiled. "Deal!"

We hugged and I pulled back in shock, but she didn't seem to notice. She grabbed my hand and half dragged, half skipped me back to where she was sitting so she could give me half her lunch. I ate my sandwich guardedly, but as is the manner of five year olds the invitation to play pushed everything out of my mind until I returned to my mother.

"Mummy Mummy! Something weird happened today at school."

"What was it my pet?"

I told her all about the girls that had been mean to me and how Clare had stood up to them. It was a little frightening to tell my mother things because her emotion shone clearly in her eyes. They had turned red as coals of fire when I told her how the girls had been so cruel to me, but had gentled into a merry blue blaze when I spoke of Clare. A smile broke out on her face and then a frown.

It's good to have a mother that can see the future. She saw exactly my problem with Clare.

"Umm…Alliyah…I know you are a good girl, so why would you…."

I watched my mother disappear inside her mind for a little. Checking probable future outcomes as my father would say. I waited for her to come back with my answer.

"Yes Alli. You will do the thing that you saw. But all will be well. A little was revealed to you at this time. But I have inquired and I know you will know the end of the thing in time and you will see that it will all be for the best. "

"The best?"

"Yes my darling. The best."

I walked away from my mother replaying the scenes that had entered my mind when I had hugged Clare on the playground.

She was destined to be my best friend. The best friend I ever had. I saw her sticking by me even when I had lost my path and loving me anyways. The only thing I couldn't understand is why when we were sixteen; I was going to have to kill her.

**2010**

Clare and I were walking up the front steps of Degrassi when I sensed him. He was trouble with a capital T. He made my ex Johnny DiMarco seem like a toddler with a tantrum. I could also see that he and Johnny's boy Fitz were going to cause me and Clare nothing but endless grief if someone didn't intervene.

As per usual he was attracted to Clare. She was a trouble magnet. I can't tell you how many times I've had to run in to keep her from being devoured or beheaded or dismembered or just kidnapped. There were these two creepy werewolves she met at church of all places that had wanted to cut and taste her because they had some red head fetish left over from the fifties when they lived in New York. I wasn't having it.

There were the mermaids that tried to kidnap her at the beach. They had taken one look at her baby blues and determined that they would make a nice ornament in the world's most macabre eye-ball necklace. Let's not even talk about the nymphs that were visiting from Greece when we were fourteen and had taken one look at her maturing body and decided Clare should also be a free and frisky transmographic woodland creature. Those things are worse than pimps when it comes to recruiting. I was very sure that my best friend did not want to be the love slave of some randy satyr not matter how much of a good time he was promising.

So of course this vampire pulls up in a black hearse and walks out with a face that only Botticelli could imagine and pins his green eyes on my best friend and I have to catch her because she's suddenly gone weak in the knees. I look at him closely but I don't pick up that "I will lay you all" vibe that incubi usually give out. So he was a regular vamp, and like Fitz very very very old, because the young ones, they don't make it in the sunlight. Little known secret, there are no vampires that sparkle in the sunlight at though they had been attacked by arts and crafts herpes, I mean glitter. So take that.

What's stunning me is that he's just as taken in by Clare as she is by him and if vampires could go pale, he'd be whiter than he already is. I'm not even touching him and I'm being assaulted by images of him and Clare, but it's all confusing and making no sense.

I see him and Clare, only she's dressed in white and lying on a bed with diamonds and pearls threaded through her hair. I see her dressed in yellow tied to a chair with a gag over her mouth, but the time is wrong and it looks like it takes place in the past. Then there's Clare again dressed like Taylor Swift's grandmother in a long gingham dress looking at a picture and crying. Finally I see the two werewolves from Clare's church, but they're younger and sitting down over her broken body, eating the insides. I'm a little scared.

He looks at me startled and I realize that he can see what I'm seeing when I look at him. His lips form the word "Seer" and something else that I couldn't quite make out. I knew he knew what I was to the core. I realized two things. One he was Clare's soul mate and the dreadful second thing was she had to kill him.

****  
I don't say anything when I get home. My mother is waiting for me with a cup of tea and I know what this means, even though we've never had this talk. She knew it was coming and so did I. She gestured for me to be seated.

"The Jester King has enrolled at your school."

That's who that was? A chill raced up my spine. All subkin know of the Jester King. These are the horror stories that they put us to bed with at night in my world. Any little creature t hat decides to step out of line will be met by the Jester King. It's a cruel slow death at his hands He doesn't care at all, practically heartless. He would chew me up like meat in a second, no matter who marked me. He wasn't a Pre-Existent one….just a stupid Original. But rumor had it he had the ability to kill a Pre-Existent if he so chose.

There are vampire levels if truth be told. You had your run of the mill vampires that were almost human. Other than good eyesight, some speed and superhuman strength they are no different than anyone on the street. The incubi and the succubii are a little higher up on the food chain. They are extremely sensual and sexy vampires. I think they are just giant whores but that's me. Then are the Originals. They claim their origin before the start of most world religions. They are daywalkers, who can control and read minds and move objects. They can start fires and become invisible and a host of other things that make it challenging to remain alive if you ever meet one. Then they are the Pre-Existents. They are the creators of the Originals. They are the gods of old. Men of renown. Which has me wondering how the hell Fitz got into that group. The boy is a straight fool. Yet I wouldn't mess with him. I mean for all that I hate Fitz he used to be worshipped as the god Set down in Egypt. Or so I heard…I could see that boy in charge of some serious chaos.

I wonder why one of the most powerful beings in the subkin world would enroll at my school. Almost unlimited power and you want to go to high school. Was he high? My mother shook me just then brining me back from my own thoughts.

"Is there any reason why a Pre-Existent and an Original are trying to run around the halls of my school?"

"Fitz is the Jester King's maker."

"Shut-up. Fitz made the most powerful vampire alive right now?"

"One of the most Alliyah. One of the most."

"Sorry. That doesn't explain why Fitz is at Degrassi with his protégé."

"The Jester King is on a mission to kill Fitz."

"Finally. I like this guy. So why is Fitz at Degrassi? It can't be to hide out."

"It's more a matter of leverage."

I must have looked confused because she took a deep breath and said "Clare."

"What? What does she have to do with all of this?"  
My mother sighed and looked at me. "You know how it seems that every subkin you cross paths with wants to either take her out or make her disappear?"

"Yes."

"Well it's only because your friend was born to destroy our kind. Well to police our kind. Obliterate. Wipe out. Make null and void. I have to admit. I've been tempted to kill her a time or two myself."

"I don't get it. She can barely keep herself out of danger. How is she going to do all that?"

"Well she's an avenger. Her kind of spirit is born out of two things. Deep despair and betrayal. She's actually the reincarnation of a girl named Saarasha."

"What/?"

"Yes. Um. About that. The Jester King's real name is Ejaan. He and Saarasha were born in the same time period. They were destined to be married but he was turned by Setmenkil or Fitz. Mind you Ejaan and Saarasha never officially met. They would have on their wedding night, but not before. She was younger than him and not a first daughter. She wouldn't have had reason to come across him. But Set interrupted all that. Saarasha went insane when she discovered that Ejaan was dead."

"So ancient Clare…wait insane?"

"Yes. To make matters worse he actually killed her. In his defense he thought he was doing the right thing. Ejaan eventually met her again as Clarjhone. Something in them recognized each other and they fell in love. But there are stricter rules binding vampire and human relations than those binding djinn and humans."

"So they didn't end up together then huh?"

"No. Fitz killed her before Ejaan's eyes."

"Why? Why couldn't they just let her be turned and then…."

"No. For vampires humans are just food. So Ejaan falling for Clarjhone would be like you falling in love with your chicken sandwich. An abomination. They didn't know they were meant for each other. I want you to remember that."

"So after who knows how many years he's just getting his revenge now?"

"No. She was reborn…again. As Clara in Spain. She met up with him again, but managed to get herself cursed by a jealous gypsy brujé. So instead of loving Ejaan…it'd be a double edged sword…she would love him, but would be honor bound to kill him for what he's done."

My mother chuckled. That girl was a good faker. It was already Clare's destiny to extinguish darkness from this earth. She just twisted it a little to make her the one responsible for avenging Ejaan's cheating. But I always wonder…can it be cheating when your true half appears? The one you were meant for? They are very very rare because it would be foolish to doom humanity to such a fate. But when you find your own, well I think some allowances should be made."

"Was she ever anyone else? I saw two other girls in his past that looked like Clare."

"Hmm yeah. Clarabelle, a pretty little Texan gal with a heart as wide as the sea. She had her hand cut off by a robber whose picture she drew. Yet that boy was still head over heels in love with her…not to mention Clara Beth. That would be the last incarnation before this one. This has to be the final one Alliyah."

"Why now after all these years does it have to end here, at this time?"

"It's Ejaan. He's angry enough now to go after his Maker and he won't stop there. What I'm seeing is that he's already murdered the rest of the Originals. Well in his defense they were sent after him to take him out. Now he's going to kill Fitz and then go after the rest of the Pre-Existent."

I drew a deep breath. There were no more Originals? He was going after the Pre-Existent…and then w hat? They were the vampire law, without them there would be undead tyranny, unless…..

"Yes Alliyah. He is going to be their ruler, and then it will be too awful to imagine for the rest of the subkin. He doesn't know what he's about."

"How do we stop him?"

"You don't the huntress does. You have to get her to rise. In her current state she's too weak. Fitz could take her out in a heartbeat; in fact he's been waiting for Eli ever since he's seen Clare's face. She looks too much like herself for him not to recognize the others in her."

I looked at my mother in disbelief. "I have to get her to rise? What do I do? Shout subkin and then hope for the best?"

My mother frowned at me. "You know what you have to do Alliyah. You've known it since you met her. If Fitz kills her she'll stay dead. It's not enough of a betrayal to bring her back to avenge herself."

"You mean…"

"Yes. The timing is right. She's going to be sixteen in another two days. Between two ages it's perfect, the veil is thinned at midnight. You'll sleep over like you do every year, only difference you stick a blade into her heart exactly at midnight. The betrayal will shock her back and she'll come back ready to go."

"So w hen you convinced her mother that the two most uncoordinated girls in the universe should take dance and martial arts lessons you were preparing us for this?"

"Yes, I told you at the time I had my reasons. As soon as she forgives you it will give you a boost in power too and you'll be her second in command. You decided this the very first time you met her."

"I decided at five that I was going to serve as second in command to Clare? I didn't even understand the vision I had then."

"Alliyah pay attention. I said the very first time. Not now but before time. You'll keep the right subkin safe. That is why I am your mother. I always knew any daughter I had would help to save the world."

"Yeah. All I have to do is kill my best friend."

"You've known since you were five years old that you would have to do this Alliyah. At least now you know why."

"Tell me one thing mother. Did you know this when I came to you as a little girl?"

I didn't have to see her nod her head. I already knew. A trade off of being part djinn. No one had to really tell me anything. I turned and walked out of the room. Apparently I didn't have much time.

And so there we were too girls celebrating the sixteenth birthday of one of them. Clare looked so beautiful in the dress she wore to see a play that night. She was so excited. I watched her silently thinking about the ornate jewel-encrusted dagger that my mother had thrust into my bag. I hoped all would be well.

The time came far too quickly for me. We were laughing about something an actor had said when I noticed I had three minutes left with my best friend. I blurted out, "Clare look out!"

When she looked up at me in confusion I opened my bag and grabbed the dagger. She frowned because she couldn't see my hand. "Funny Alli – your makeup isn't going to jump out and attack me anytime soon."

I smiled sadly as I saw the clock leap to 11:59. Was that the time? I pulled the dagger out. Clare's mouth was a perfect O of shock and amazement. I plunged it straight into her heart apologizing as the clock struck twelve and I murdered my best friend on the dawning of her sixteenth birthday.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry if you're seeing this same chapter again for either the second or third time…I found a few inconsistencies in the chapter that make no kind of logical sense so you know your girl had to edit before the next chapter.  
As a treat and surprise here is a second chapter. I hope you enjoy. Katherine1997 this one is for you. Thanks for believing in the story.**

**I do not own Degrassi or Set, the albino red-headed Egyptian god. (Note not actual albino…only white Egyptian god)**

**Chapter 5**

Clare awoke in a rage and punched Alli in the jaw. "Alli Bhandari you bitch! How could you stab me?"

Without even stopping to contemplate or be fully aware of what she was doing Clare pulled the dagger out of her chest and threw it in a perfect arc across the room where it embedded itself in an old Spirit Squad poster that hung on the wall. Using her body weight Clare knocked Alli back unto the blood soaked sheets and placed her forearm across Alli's throat, cutting off her air.

"Why shouldn't I treat you to the same way you treated me?"

Alli's eyes watered with the effort to keep them open and suck in air simultaneously. Never had to do that before. Clare moved her arm up further restricting the air flow. With her last breath before she submitting to unconsciousness Alli managed to squeak out "Saarasha."

As if she had been burnt Clare quickly removed her arm and backed off the bed. She fell unto the ground and crab walked backwards into the wall where she wrapped her arms around her legs and began to rock back and forth.

More than a memory –like a clear assault of the present Clare was catapulted back into the vision she had while dead – or had she been sleeping? What was right?

She had been surrounded by five women….Saarasha, an older woman in her fifties with long brown hair streaked with auburn, with wide intelligent dark brown almond-shaped eyes. Her skin was nut brown and she was just beginning to wrinkle. She was striking and walked with the grace and poise of a practiced warrior. Next to her in a beautiful if blood stained ermine mantle over a gown that would have been of the purest white. Her hair **was** auburn and her eyes were like lively blue sapphires. She looked exactly like Clare. She spoke her name with a voice like fairy bells, Clarjhone. Next to her was a sad-eyed Spanish girl with the same coloring as Clarjhone. She kept running her hands over her skin- almost as if to make sure it was all there. She was exquisitely attired in a slash fronted dress of the finest sapphire brocade. Where the slashes parted a beautiful brown silk underskirt was visible. A single cord of pearls wrapped around the dart front .The only thing that ruined it all was the fact that everything was heavily soaked with blood, almost as if she had gone swimming in a pool of blood with all her clothes on. When Clarjhone nudged her she whispered her name, "Clara," with a thick Andalucían accent.

The other two women smiled at Clare. She noticed one had stump in the place of a right hand and was dressed head to toe in gingham. Her hair was a shower of loose ringlets that had been let down. There was blood down the front of her dress. She looked wild and outdoorsy and even though I knew she had to be dead she was smiling. "I'm Clarabelle!"

She wasn't loud or anything but in comparison to Saarasha who had sort of whispered her name in Clare's brain – like information that she was supposed to already have – it was a scream in the midst of intense silence. The other girl had on poodle skirt with black oxfords and white bobby socks. Her hair was in a cute ponytail and she had on horn-rimmed glasses. She looked cute. She kept her arms wrapped around her waist. "Clara Beth."

Clare looked at this odd assemblage of womanhood. Standing next to them in her favorite turquoise floral sheath dress with the A-line skirt and the requisite blood stains down the front Clare seemed like Saarasha's long lost quintuplet daughter. Yet it seemed almost as if Saarasha was excited to see her.

Clara spoke first, smoothing her hands down the front of her dress she said, "It didn't work. She is here."

Saarasha smiled at Clara. "It did. He didn't kill her."

The other girls looked at one another. They began to talk amongst themselves. She heard the word Huntress being tossed around a few times. Finally she spoke. "What's going on around here?"

Saarasha looked at her. "You're dead."

"I'm what?"

"Deceased, dearly departed, flower taken in her prime, no longer with us, pushing up daises…I believe those are the common phrases of your time."

"What?"

"You're best friend stabbed you through the heart on the veil of your sixteenth birthday."

"Alli did this to me? You're kidding me."

"I speak truth child. Call her not Alli, for truly she is Threyskia reincarnate."

"What?"

"All will be clear in time dear."

"Are you all, dead?"

Clarabelle answered, "Yes honey, we're all gone out of the world unto this one."

"This is the afterlife?"

They all began to laugh as if she had told the best joke that they had ever heard.

"No this is not the afterlife. Maybe someday we'll get there but in the meantime, we wait here, we wait for you."

"What are you talking about?"

"We're not separate us girls. We're all the same person."

"Right. Which person?"

Saarasha answered, "We're all you."

Clare looked at Saarasha. "You can't be me. The others could be we all look so much alike it could be true with one of them but not with you. You're different.

"Oh I am you- rather you are me. I'm glad to see you Clare. We're finally going to be avenged."

Clare looked at Saarasha. "What do you mean?"

Saarasha sighed, "Let me begin…."

I was born in Samaria around the same time that Christ was a little boy in Galilee. I was half Egyptian on my mother's side. Oh my mother.

She was the beautiful daughter of a high priest to Set in Egypt and he had given her to my father in marriage. He was very very very wealthy. He owned vineyards, olive presses and he also land from when his forefathers had picked up a lot of real estate when most of Israel was sold into bondage. He had lots of tenants and was looking for a way to make money when he met Olran, Ejaan's father. We'll get to who Ejaan is in a moment.

Olran was wealthier than my father. He owned sheep and cattle. He also had some tent-making going on the side. My father was interested in branching out to speak and the two became friends. They were looking for a way to cement that friendship when my mother after gifting my father with a twin boy and girl before, gave birth to me.

Ejaan was already six years old. Our fathers betrothed us and I grew up with the knowledge that as soon as I came of age that I was going to be someone's wife. Like all girls I was curious about the man that was to be my husband. Especially since we were going to have a chance to be young together. The custom of the time was that these young girls were going to be married to really old men – technically. A thirty year old with an eleven year old bride. However it suited our parents to have us married and I was born six years after Ejaan – and we weren't didn't have to wait for him to achieve manhood. He was already a man by Samaritan standards.

Whenever Ejaan came over to run errands for his father I would peek at him from the stairs. Through holes in walls, around corners. Anywhere that I could catch a glimpse of him, I'd look. He was so beautiful. He had our dark coloring, but his hair wasn't curly like the men of our region. His eyes were green, another rarity. He was strong and principled and just amazing. I was anxious to be his, but my mother didn't want me to married until I had menstruated. She took pride in the fertility of her children. My older brother and sister had about six children between them and I think my sister was pregnant around the time of my wedding.

Finally at fourteen, I was ready. After I had completed the days of ritual purification I was to be wed. I waited in painful excitement the night before my wedding. At dawn Ejaan would ride up to my house with his groomsmen and take me from my father's house and would race us to his house which he had completed not many months before. There we would be wed.

At dawn however, Ejaan, did not come. Instead his friends Obaj and Seth rode to our door. They informed my father that Ejaan had been found murdered in his father's fields. I was not meant to hear right away, but I did and I collapsed in my servant's arms. I mourned him many days until a kind of madness set in.

My mother could not bear to look at me, nor I her. I blamed her for delaying my marriage to Ejaan. I was convinced that had we been wed no harm would have befallen him. I would have been with him. I took to wandering the streets of my town in black tattered mourning gowns. Months later his sister Sunil took her life, or so we thought.

We had gathered for the funeral and were watching the body in the night when I noticed Ejaan standing behind his friend Obaj. I thought I had finally gone mad, but I followed this shadow Ejaan-and that's when I discovered Obaj's betrayal.

In the months after Ejaan's death Obaj had become a wealthy man. He married Sumaya, Sunil's twin sister and accepted a giant dowry. Since Ejaan had been an only son as the first husband he took on a lion's share of Olran's (Ejaan's father) business concerns. Any business rivals that he had suffered some kind of reversal of fortune or accident if they opposed him. People said that Ejaan had blessed him with protection on his death. We didn't understand.

I followed shadow Ejaan to a side street where he met up with Seth. I never liked Seth, neither had my mother come to think of it. He was entirely too pale for someone living in the desert region. They seemed to have some kind of fight before someone came along and then the two of them pounced on the poor fellow. What followed I still see in nightmares. They drained him of blood and then ripped the body apart and buried it all over the street. Then they resumed their fight.

I ran home and straight to my mother. She took on look at my face and dragged me into a dark corner. I confessed what I had seen and my mother turned completely gray, her dark skin drained of all luster.

My mother explained to me exactly what had happened to my beloved. See people think that Egyptian gods were never real. They however are what you will learn are vampires known as Pre-Existent ones. Set was the one that my maternal grandfather served. He was the god of chaos and the desert. He also had fallen in love with my mother to a dangerous degree. He was already on the outs with other gods because of his betrayal of his brother, and my grandfather feared that my mother would be incinerated by the fiery breath of Nepthys herself. So he made the best match for my mother that he could in a short period of time.

Set had followed my mother to Samaria and set himself up as Seth in later years. My mother had never said anything to anyone and Seth had been thinking of ways to repay her for her betrayal. It seemed Ejaan was his revenge. However we also figured out how Obaj had become so successful in business. It was Seth's habit to create chaos and confusion wherever he dwelt. The best friend betrayal was almost his patented technique. He would cause one friend to become overwhelmingly envious of his friend. He played on some corrupt desire in that person until they helped him to kill their friend. Then when they were in a state of shock and horror he would expose and then kill him. However in this case he had not only killed Ejaan but somehow enslaved him to Obaj as well. Now he was obligated to serve Obaj and imbue him with power. Total chaos of natural order when Obaj was fulfilling Ejaan's role.

"Get out of here my daughter. I know that Set knows that you were there this night. If you were close enough to see them feed, he is more than aware of the fact that he is found out and it will be your death next."

The next morning I left out for Rome. I traveled with my father's colleagues to Rome where I discovered the temple of Threyskia. She was a minor deity, the moor of the lovelorn and the helpless. I immediately became an ardent supplicant, never leaving her temple. After what my mother had told me I had no illusions that Threyskia was not real and she came to me one night.

"What do you want of me mortal?"

"I want to avenge the death of one wrongly removed from this life."

"So do many who visit my temple. Why should I grant this boon?"

"My love was removed from this life, but not this earth. He moves as the undead in my homeland, killing and serving the instrument of his demise."

Threyskia looked at me a moment and then gathered me in her arms. She pressed my face to her neck and when next I knew myself we stood in an orchard of apple and pear trees.

"Rest daughter. I have heard you."

It seemed almost as if I were compelled to fall into a stupor at her feet. When I came to I noticed for the first time that she had wings. Large white angelic wings that she had wrapped around her body. She smiled at me.

"What are you willing to offer to me if I were to help you avenge this wrong?"

"My life. The love that should have been mine and Ejaan's. My youth. My very heart's blood."

She bowed her head. "Very well. I accept these things. Walk with me."

As we walked she explained that I would literally give her my youth. "You will remain with me until you are a very old woman. Until those that remember you speak with dust in their mouth. Not so long however that this betrayer will escape unscathed."

I spent forty long years with Threyskia. In retrospect they flew by as one night. I trained in all manners of battle. I learned to increase my speed and accuracy with every weapon known to man. I ingested various poisons and became virtually immortal myself. I was a trusted friend and emissary to a goddess- or as she explained to me a nephilim.

She was old. Older than I could imagine. She predated the flood. She was the child of an angel and a mortal woman. She had fallen in love with a mortal man, happily married and giving him children until he betrayed her for a tavern maid. She was so angry that it consumed her and she burst into a sort of living flame, knowing nothing or seeing nothing. In doing so she accidentally incinerated her home and her children. She purposefully killed her husband and his mistress and then unmade herself.

When the flood came she was not there. However she was invoked years later in a Grecian temple by a scholar translating texts of her home. She came into being with virtually no memory of what had happened, where she was, or who she was. And she had wings.

Gradually she learned of her past, but she couldn't unmake herself again. So she lived the centuries as a minor deity. I was her first companion.

I remember the day that she deemed me ready to return to the world. Before taking me from the enchanted world where we dwelled she spoke to me.

"You will die after you have killed Obaj."

"But what of Seth?"

She sighed softly after this. "This is your fate. However it was also your fate to marry Ejaan and have lots of fat babies. Yet your course was disrupted by a selfish immortal. Another selfish one will intervene and interrupt yet again."

She smiled at me. "Saarasha I find that I love you. In a life that spans millennia I find that you are the only friend that I have ever had. So I will grant you a boon. Mind you- as most immortals I am selfish and if it did not also serve my purposes I would not do this."

"I want to return to my unmade existence. So for you I will sacrifice my immortality. I lay it down. I give it you."

"So I'm to continue existing after I kill Seth? That seems like a punishment. After my mission has ended I will have no purpose to live for. I am too old to bear children, or be married."

"Saarasha. Listen. There is no way for you to kill Seth now. It is not your own betrayal that you go to avenge but another's. The strength of a betrayal is what will give you power. Heady power. Ejaan was murdered by will of his best friend and made to serve that friend as a slave. He gave up his life to protect his sister Sunil. The life he unlives now is the one that Seth had meant for the girl for he had fallen in love with her."

"Sunil is dead Threyskia. She committed suicide by slashing her wrists and draining all the blood from her body."

"The mark of Anubis my dear. He came because Seth was thinking of marrying and then turning Sunil. There are strict laws among the Pre-Existent ones. Unfortunately for you mortals they keep breaking them, and so Anubis, the guardian of the dead is sent forth to correct them. Sunil's life was Seth's penalty. You will die after you kill Obaj."

"Threyskia, make up your mind. Do I live, do I die? You keep differing."

"You will be betrayed in death, and therefore you will return to life, but not as a vile undead, but as the avenger of your beloved and those affected by the folly of the immortals, for we are many Saarasha. The myths and legends are true, and it will be your duty to avenge many, so that you might slay one."

"Threyskia?"

"I give you my immortality so that you might not pass on into Anubis' domain and be silenced forever. You will instead be reborn until your purpose is accomplished."

"This means I will live and die many times."

"Many times. Until the one betrayal that enables you to come back as the Huntress."

"Why should I do this thing? I want only to avenge my beloved. Why should I accept the responsibility for the lives of others?"

"Your reward for this will be the life you should have had with Ejaan."

"Threyskia, you're giving me your immortality so that I might be happy? Isn't that the definition of unselfish?"

"Not if you consider that by giving you what you so deeply desire that I'll be freeing myself. Eventually."

"Threyskia?"

"Just know this Saarasha. When the time comes for you to arise that you will have me at your side as your best friend. I myself will bring you back Saarasha. You have been that good a friend."

We embraced and I ran out to face my destiny. I knew I would be killed but that first Obaj would pay.

I made it home to Samaria which was under Roman rule and almost gone, but there were a few pockets where people dwelled and I found Obaj. He had become a corrupt and corrupulent local ruler.

It was easy for me to infiltrate his inner sanctum; Threyskia had trained me so well that I moved as though I had wings of my own. He was lying in his chamber with a wench I realized was not Sumaya who I had seen earlier. I crept forward dagger extended and called his name softly. He looked up confused, "Saarasha?"

I laughed, "It is I Obaj. I know of your black-hearted deeds and I have come to avenge my beloved."

"Wait Saarasha- ," but it was too late for him. I plunged my dagger through his heart and straight into the heart of the woman he was with for good measure. At that moment I heard a snarl in the dark and a force hit me and sent me flying off the bed into the opposing wall. I immediately vaulted to my feet in a battle stance looking around warily. 

My opponent flew across the bed in silent dark streak and pressed one foot in my stomach as a kind of lever to help him sail over my back where he spun into a roundhouse that clipped me in the head and brought me to my knees. I threw up an arm that was immediately blocked. I put my leg out and leaned into my opponent so that I could stand and then I raised my leg up and brought it straight down on his shoulder. He grabbed it and pushed me back. I bent at the knee and placed my hand on the ground before he could drag me. He did a side sweep and brought me low and then did a pile driver into my stomach. My eyes had adjusted the shadow of the room so when he levered over me they widened in shock. But that moment of shock cost me my life as he snapped my neck.

My killer was Ejaan.

Clare looked at Saarasha in dismay. Saarsha gave her a sad smile. "It's okay. He never knew."

She looked away but not before Clare saw and felt the sadness that was in her eyes. Then the truth hit her like a wave.

"I am you – all of you."

Clara smiled in relief. "She get's it."

"So why do I see all of you, if you are all me?"

"Because we represent individual memories," Clara Beth said, "it will help you now. You'll see."

"Help me?"

Saarsha smiled. "You are what we have been leading up to. You are the only one that hasn't been murdered by Seth/Fitz. If he knew what he had been doing he would have let Clarjhone live all those centuries ago. But he didn't."

"It wouldn't have helped Saarsha. We were destined for this. If she had lived this destiny would not have been fulfilled. You know Ejaan would have turned her eventually."

"So I'm the Huntress. How can I be? I'm uncoordinated, clumsy. I have the survival skills of the truly suicidal. How am I going to hunt anybody?"

They laughed Clara Beth spoke again, "Which is why we are here. Your memories. From Saarasha you will have the stealth and ability of the deadliest assassin."

Saarasha stepped towards Clare, "When you return greet Threyskia for me."

"You mean Alli?"

Saarsha nodded and then stepped directly into Clare and disappeared.

"From Clarjhone you will receive dedication to justice. You will receive morality and ethics, the ability to distinguish perfectly between right and wrong. She is your heart."

Clarjhone smiled at Clare before she melded with her.

"From Clara you will receive passion and grace. These are necessary things because at times you will doubt you call to this fight. She will inspire you to push on. You also need her grace in terms of coordination. She is also your fairness and sense of equality. In an age when people saw people based on only birth and wealth she was able to regard people as people."

Clara embraced Clare as she melded with her.

"Clarabelle is your sight. When she was alive she possessed a unique ability to see what others couldn't see down to the tiniest detail. She was also able to recreate anything that she saw. You will have her ability to see as well as her artistic talent."

This time Clare walked towards Clarabelle who placed a hand on her cheek and then became one with her.

"Finally from me you will receive knowledge and wisdom. All the wisdom of time is contained within me. Science, history, arts, anything you need to know you will receive from me. Good luck Huntress."

The two girls embraced and then Clare felt something like a strong arm wrenching her painfully back into blackness.

When she opened her eyes she was in her room on the bed with Alli hovering above her worriedly.

She also woke with fury burning in her like a brand of fire. She leapt off the bed and punched Alli with almost preternatural strength almost snapping her neck in the process.

**Moments Later..**

Alli looked at Clare in the corner. "So you are the Huntress now? We're good?"

"Yes Threyskia. We're good."

"Threyskia?"

At that moment Clare's room door opened and Mrs. Bhandari stepped in. Looking at Alli she said "Yes, Threyskia."

She walked in and stepped over to Clare, she fell before her prostrate. "Welcome Huntress, please do not take my life."


	6. Chapter 6

**If you loved Adele love her more –listening to 21 helped me bust out this chapter…particularly helpful songs "I Found A Boy" "Set Fire To The Rain" "Don't You Remember" and "I'll Be Waiting."**

**Azula Felinae –For / Against and With …true love never easy**

**I do not own Degrassi.**

**Chapter 6**

"Mom what are you doing? Why are you bowing to her and who is Threyskia?"

Clare looked at Alli and almost unbidden she said," Thimamai."*

Immediately Alli responded , "Se thimamai.* Oh shit. I am Threyskia"

She sat down on the bed and stared at her mother. Clare waved a hand at Mrs. Bhandari. "You know I won't kill you. I don't appreciate being manipulated however; my rising came just at the right time for you didn't it?"

Mrs. Bhandari stood to her feet, "I see that your inner eye is busy at work. I mean not to manipulate you Huntress but you see the danger to my son – had to be timed carefully."

"Alli could have killed me at anytime this my sixteenth year and the result would have been the same. The only thing mythical about my rise is the time of life. No specific date or time. You only brought me forward because of the danger to Savtaj."

Alli sputtered in the corner, "My brother is in danger?"

Mrs. Bhandari looked away, "You couldn't know Alli, but yes Sav is in danger."

"Tell me what it is, and I will do the best that I can, but I'm new to this Mrs. Bhandari."

Mrs. Bhandari sat next to Alli. "As you know your school has become recently plagued by vampire kind. Fitz, Eli. But they are not the only subkin at Degrassi."

"Who is Eli?"

"Uh Clare, my mom just said that the school was infested with subkin. We'll come back to Eli."

"Sorry, something about the name- anyways continue."

"Yes- why are you here?"

"Well it's about the subkin. The Coynes.."

"Wait the Coynes are subkin? What are they remarkably attractive leprechauns?"

"Funny Huntress, no. They made their fortunes on the backs of subkin, because of their _sidhe*_ heritage, they have control over the poor creatures, and they have brought two vampire strains into Toronto. Now the incubus known as Drew Torres and the succubus known as Jenna Middleton are at Degrassi. I have no ideas of their plans for them. I just know that it's sinister."

Clare and Alli exchanged a look. "My ex-boyfriend was an incubus?"

"Your what?"

"Nothing. So yeah back to Jenna being the evil undead?"

"Have you noticed any thing strange about Jenna and Drew?"

"Well Jenna stole my boyfriend – but if she really is a succubus can't say that I'm mad at him anymore for that one anymore. But um KC disappeared about the same time that Jenna became pregnant, but I just figured he was trying to be a deadbeat dad."

"Yes, and lets not forget that Drew seems to have practically every girl in Degrassi salivating over him."

"Incubus effect."

"Do we have to kill Drew?"

"No just watch him for the time being. No need to kill innocent subkin."

"He's an incubus, how innocent can he be?"

"Let's get back to your brother."

"So how is Sav in danger? The last time I looked he was dating Holly J."

"What?"

"Nothing. You need to adjust your hearing Mom. Sav – danger – remember?"

Mrs. Bhandari shook her head at Alli. "I don't use my gifts to spy on my kids, but it looks I'd be better off if I started listening in. I'm missing a lot."

"Mooom! Sav –imminent danger- me only child!"

"Right. There is no easy way to say this so I'll just come right out and say it. Jenna ate KC and now she's making a move on my son to support her child."

"WHAT!" Alli and Clare exclaimed.

"The succubi they desire good father's for their offspring to consume at birth and KC just didn't have the desirable traits that Jenna wanted her baby to ingest. Sav was kind to her. They sang a duet together and it meant a lot to her. Even succubi have pregnancy hormones. She kissed him. That's how they mark their mate/food supply. You can't allow this to happen."

"I won't Mrs. Bhandari. He's always been like a big brother to me. But I have to worry about the ethical lines I'm about to cross here. I mean what if it got out that I killed the girl who stole my ex-boyfriend? How could it look like anything less than a gratuitous killing?"

"Gratuitous Clare? That bitch is about to eat my brother!"

"No Alli –"

"Sorry Mom, I didn't mean to curse in front of you."

"Alliyah you were wrong that bitch is about to feed your brother to her offspring which is due any day now."

Clare and Alli stared at Mrs. Bhandari.

"You two have kids and tell me you don't think anyone about to do them harm is anything less than a bitch or a bastard."

"I'll handle it Mrs. Bhandari, Jenna is going down."

"Thanks. Well you and Alli can finish up with your sleepover, I'll go downstairs and reassure poor Mrs. Edwards. By the way Alli if she asks in the morning your rash became less inflamed after you applied the ointment."

"What?"

"Its minutes to 1. What other reason would I have for running into Clare's house?"

"Right. Well good night Mrs. Bhandari. I'll hopefully have good news for you tomorrow."

"Good night girls. I mean Huntress, Threyskia. Oh and just a word to the wise, Clare I'd lay those sheets and your dress in cold water in the bathtub. Run it through like twice and then when the water becomes a little less bloody treat those stains with some hydrogen peroxide. No need having your mother drop dead of a heart attack."

They watched Mrs. Bhandari exit the room and close the door. Clare stripped the sheets and quickly ran them in her adjoining bathroom and changed into her pajamas for good measure.

As she walked back into the room Alli asked, "Can you believe Jenna's a succubus?"

"With that terribly screechy voice I would have thought she was a siren."

"Meh, go figure. Could you bring yourself to kill her?"

There was a long silence and Alli thought Clare had fallen asleep when she heard her say, "Well she did eat my ex-boyfriend."

000

The next morning Alli and Clare prepared for school; both were a little exaggeratedly tired after the night's events but they stumbled to the table and poured themselves large mugs of coffee.

Alli took a good look at Clare after her first sip. "Did being the Huntress come with fashion perks I don't know about?"

"Oh- the outfit. You know for plain old memories these girls are really really loud. Thank God Clara prevailed, because left to Saarasha I'd look like something out of The Matrix."

Clare was wearing slim-fitting jeans under a dark black and blue off the shoulder shirt with a full black lace black. Underneath she wore a cobalt tank. On her feet she wore five-inch platform Colin Stuart heels. She had on various charms and protections against evil on her bracelets and even wore an ankh on a slim gold chain that dipped down to her stomach. She also sported on a knotted pearl necklace that also hung somewhere around her mid-section.

Her eyes were kohl-lined and her lips looked soft and inviting. Her hair was in an interesting up knot held by a bolo tie. She looked chic and slightly dangerous, unlike the Clare that had stood in the same place the day before.

Alli shook her head, "What are you going to kill in those shoes? You don't look like you can walk much less run in those things."

"We told Saarasha they could act as stakes for vampires."

Alli laughed. "You poor girl. Look out everyone its Clare the Bad Fashion Slayer."

"Skase!"*

000

Eli stood outside of Degrassi looking for the girl he seen with the seer a few days ago. He knew his inability to find her had something to do with the seer's cloaking ability. He had caught a glimpse of her and his heart had skipped a phantom beat. The moment that the seer got a good look at him however, she suddenly flickered out of sight.

He knew he was dealing with a powerful seer, and also one who had no idea what she was doing, because subkin were acutely conscious of doing anything out of the norm in public places. He wondered what the connection was between the seer and the girl that reminded him of his love. It must be strong for her to automatically think to hide her from the danger he presented.

He was going to find her and change her before she was even aware of what was going on. He wasn't going to lose her this time. He didn't think he could go another millennia without her. It was selfish but the alternatives were positively garish and not even worth becoming contingency plans.

He stood staring out at the incoming students when he sensed power. Massive amounts of soul-crushing world destroying power radiating towards him. He saw various students looking towards the source. Some he knew to be werewolves, fairies and the odd succubus and incubus mingling and feeding off the incredible sex drive of the adolescent student body.

For the first time in his undead life Eli felt a little unsteady on his feet, leaning against his aging hearse Morty for support. He almost collapsed to his knees when he saw who it was.

Alli was the first one that came into his sight, and while she was radiating with new power – dangerous nephilim power-it wasn't her that was causing the shock waves across Degrassi. It was the girl that he was waiting for.

It was the same girl but not really. The power coming off this girl was massive and he doubted that she would accept his attempts to change her. This girl did not need his protection.

The more that he stared at Clare the more he was sure that something massive had happened in the last few days that he had seen her. The girl that had stood on the front steps with the seer was demure and a wallflower. He had no doubt that inside her quiet demeanor was one strong willed woman waiting to break out. The very way that she stood and dressed, in a non-descript blue shirt with a black skirt and sandals said "I'm here- but don't stare too hard."

The vision before him had certainly burst loose of whatever mental bondage that had been keeping her from the fore. Clare's edgy ensemble caught his eye and it seemed to meld everything he had liked aesthetically about his past loves into one very very desirable package.

000

Clare sauntered for lack of a better word towards Degrassi.

"Alli, how do you walk in these ridiculous heels every day? My hips keep swaying unnaturally. I feel like something from Mars Attacks!"

"It gets easier with practice, I tell you that."

"Alli is it me or are there a lot of subkin roaming the halls of Degrassi."

"That must be your inner sight working. They've always been there. We just have to find Jenna."

"Something tells me that wherever Sav is, we'll find Jenna. So where is he this morning?"

"Student government office."

"Let's go."

They started towards the front door when Clare looked at Eli leaning against the side of his hearse.

"He's a vampire."

Every memory inside her screamed his name. Unbidden Clare whispered, "Ejaan."

Even though he was some distance away he looked up. Alli shook her head, "Oh no."

He strode towards them and smirked. His green eyes seemed to smolder as he looked at Clare.

"You called?"

She extended a hand towards him, not sure if she wanted to hold him off or to draw him closer or to do something as mundane as shake his hand. The force of the emotions contained in her memories threatened to overwhelm her. Eli tried not to wince as a nearby tree burst into flames and then immediately smoldered into white ash that fell around them.

He took her hand and she gasped at the contact. Her skin felt white hot, while his was ice cold. He leant forward and pressed his lips to the crook of her elbow and gently kissed a path to her fingertips. Alli stared in disbelief as Clare's eyes shone like two white hot coals of fire. A breeze picked up around them, gently floating leaves and tugging at Clare's hair in its topknot.

Eli lifted his head and smiled directly into her eyes. She had power, but it was entirely subject to him at this moment. "You know my name, my true name. Yet I'm at a disadvantage. I don't know yours."

"Clare…."

Alli had to end this quickly; Clare while powerful was not in control of her emotions and totally losing it. She thought of a way that she could end this before something serious happened.

"Clare…" Eli mused in aloud.

Clare became flame red and the gentle breeze became a minor gale. Alli's something serious was here. Out the corner of her eye she saw a car begin to lift off the ground. She turned to Eli. "Yeah, her name is Clare. You might want to call her Huntress though. Feeling endangered yet?"

000

Eli tried not to physically recoil from the shock. "Salbeá" he hissed.

Clare looked at him confused, "No Clare."

Behind her a car plunked to the ground. Alli grinned. "Come on Clare, I mean Huntress – we totally have business to take care of."

With that she pulled Clare past Eli, the two totally oblivious to the cowering of some of the students and subkin around them. They also didn't notice Fitz standing in the basketball court watching them with an expression akin to shock on his face.

"Bye Eli!"

"Clare! I'll see you around?"

"Not if I can help it," Alli thought to herself.

"Sure."

That was all that could be said as Alli pulled her through Degrassi's front door. She didn't break stride until they stood in front of the student government office. They could see Sav's head bent near Jenna's as they discussed something in low hushed tones. Alli and Clare squared off against each other.

Clare frowned at Alli. "Come on Threyskia. It's been so long since I've seen him."

"Yeah – you were so happy we were almost reporting HUMAN casualties."

"LONG TIME –THREYSKIA," Clare ground out through clenched teeth.

"Two words Saarasha since I know this isn't Clare – EYE BABIES."

"What?"

"You two were so lost in each other's eyes you could have been having mental sex – see EYE BABIES!"

The Saarasha part of Clare could feel Clarjhone, Clara, Clarabelle, Clara Beth and even Clare agreeing with Alli/Threyskia.

Feeling a little ganged up on she lashed out and Alli and Clare saw her become a different kind of fighter."

"Please don't act like you all have never been affected by a boy or rather a man that you were attracted to. Don't make me go there."

Alli took the bait.

"Yeah give specific examples."

"Fine! Threyskia – killed your husband, his mistress and your kids. Medea much? Does the name Backwoods Bhandari have a new meaning I don't know about Alli? Clarjhone – found half-dressed in his bed – and it was surely glory he was reaching for under your gown. Clara –on your back, on the ground, in the woods! Clarabelle – in the living room of your father's place of business! Clara Beth –subway train and for crying out loud Clare you bit someone named Wesley."

There was silence all around. Finally Alli took a deep breath and said, "So, let's go save my brother."

***It's all Greek**

***Thimamai – I know**

***Se thimamai – I know you**

***Skase – Shut Up!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey so this is Chapter Seven. I didn't die or anything but I did get very very sick and was in and out of the hospital, doctor's visits and then when I started to get better- there was my life to deal with. So don't give up on this tale.**

**I was crushed by the ending of EClare. I'm a little late with that comment but it hurt. The new promos make me sad – he still loves her and then blam – new guy – new girl..ugh!**

**Sorry abt the multiple alerts…you know I love to edit.**

**Oh wellz…I don't own Degrassi.**

**Chapter Seven**

Eli stared at Clare and Alli as they walked into the school building. He stroked his jaw contemplatively. So he was finally going to die thanks to Salbeá's little curse. He wondered when Clare would feel the strong compulsion to kill him. From the waves of power that was coming off her, he imagined that she would blink and he would just disappear in a puff of smoke.

It was almost a relief that he was going to die soon, he just wanted to know when this would happen, would probably relieve the tension. On the other hand, it was so unfair – she was so appealing, so intriguing, like every incarnation he had ever loved – tied up with sass and inner steel, and instead of coming to love on him – she was going to take him out in some of super hulk smash.

He stared at the closed doors a little longer and then shook his head – it was all a too bad.

000

Clare and Alli made their way stealthily towards the student government room where they could hear someone crying.

Alli bust through the door – "Freeze you man-eating witch and step the hell away from my brother!"

Sav looked up from the chair he sat in with his arm slung across the back of a sobbing Jenna. "Alli what the hell are you talking about? What are you doing here?"

Clare smacked her hand against her forehead. "Yeesh, this is a mess. Umm Sav Holly J. wants to meet with you and Ms. Oh in the cafeteria – something about study buddies for seniors?"

Sav looked at Clare pointedly-"And your sidekick , psycho Indian Barbie here?"

"Video game situation gone awry – you know Alli, and that X-Box Kinnect brings out the beast within her."

"Right," Sav walked out of the room, but stopped at the door and said to Jenna, "I hate to leave you, especially now, and with these crazies….but .."

"No worries Sav, I didn't mean to cry all over your shoulder about KC, its just he's upsetting me."

"With what extreme indigestion?" Alli muttered.

Clare kicked her in the shin and Alli shrugged at her as if to say, "C'mon."

Sav shook his head, "So sorry Jenna."

Clare closed the door on his retreating back and she and Alli turned and screamed as Jenna was suddenly right before them.

"What the hell Clare? All that yummy power oozing off you and you scream for little old me?"

"Old is right."

"Shut up Alli."

"I mean what happened last night – yesterday you were plain old Clare with the yummy boyfriend – I mean ex- - in so many ways – boyfriend, and now you're supernova woman, but yet you cower at the sight of a little succubus speed."

"Not cower – you just surprised us is all, I mean you were just crying over there in the corner."

"I'll give you that. Ok Alli, what was with the outburst? By your words, I know, that you know what I am. And if you don't Clare's putting me on high alert. Sweetie if you're ever gonna be useful you've gotta to learn to mask that until you get into a fight."

"What?"

"I'm just saying your energy is screaming Level Red – that will pull only the most powerful and most ancient out of hiding to eat you – I mean fight you…and you don't want to do that… not till you learn what you're working with."

"Why are you giving me advice?"

"I like you Clare. If not for your frigid virgin ways this brood I'm trying to hatch here would have been an impossibility."

Alli looked at her as though she were crazy – "To think I actually pitied you at some point."

"Alli –"

"There are no apologies you can give me Jenna – I mean you were trying to eat my brother!"

"So you have come to kill me then?"

"Yes. Very much so."

"Umm Alli – how are we going to very much so kill her?"

"Umm…"

Jenna let out a chilling laugh. "Don't squabble dears. Oh and Clare that fight thing? It goes something like this."

Clare looked at Jenna as though she were a touch more insane than usual. And then she said, "Shit."

Alli looked at Clare, but then she felt it too and grimaced. Without realizing it both girls moved towards each other and Clare settled into a fighting stance.

Before them was a pregnant, swollen belly Jenna, young and fresh faced, giving off the goodness and light vibe she tried to project. However the room practically reeked of power, and evil. Ancient evil power, that didn't suggest the Roman Empire, as it did the early Egyptian empire.

"You weren't expecting that were you?"

"In a word – no."

"Good," Jenna smiled at them and bared elongated fangs that slipped past her lips. Alli gasped and then nudged Clare, "Is it me or has Jenna always had those horns?"

"Horns? I was too focused on the wings popping out of her back."

"She has wings too! What in the hell- is that a tail?"

"Feeling like you've taken on too much ladies?'

"Or maybe not enough," Clare said running full tilt at Jenna who deftly stuck out a clawed hand that hit Clare in the mid-section ripping a huge gash in her shirt and drawing blood. Clare tripped and fell, her heels flying across the room and giving Alli an idea.

"Clare, what did you tell Saarasha this morning about the heels?"

Clare looked at her strangely for a minute before she said, "Right, got it."

Jenna looked back and forth between Alli and Clare who was crawling towards a heel in the corner of the room. She decided to lunge at Alli who screamed and put up a defensive block that caught Jenna in throat.

Using her tail Jenna swept Alli down to the ground and leapt atop her. Alli wrenched her body up trying to throw her off but Jenna was superhumanly strong. Her tail had a pointed end which carved up Alli's legs through her tights. She planted a clawed foot in Alli's stomach and leaned towards her neck. Meanwhile, Clare had picked up her shoe and doing a double back handspring she came across the room and nailed Jenna in the heart with the heel of her shoe just as she was about to crush Alli's skull between her hands.

"Clare, you back stabbing har-.." she never managed to finish her statement because before an astonished Alli and Clare she exploded into a blinding cloud of dust.

"You got her just in time."

"Umm, yeah, watching you guys I found it a little hard to believe that you taught me how to fight in any era."

"Shut up. Obviously we're going to have to pract- eww."

"Pract-eww? Alli what the heck is th- oh that's nasty."

Both girls looked down and realized that they had stepped into a sack of what looked like giant mutant tadpoles. Blood was slowly leaking from the burst sack and there was a moaning chattering noise coming from the "tadpoles".

"Let me guess, this is Jenna's spawn."

"They're still alive Alli, what should we do?"

"Step on them!"

"Oh goodness that's nasty."

"It's the only way."

"You owe me a pair of shoes."

"Stop talking, start stomping."

Clare and Alli began stomping on the skittering brood which tried to slither away from their heavy platform heels, but they didn't fail to hunt down and jump on each and every one. The room was filled with the sound of eggs being cracked as the girls stomped down on their fragile heads.

They stood at the door of the room covered in viscera and dust looking at the puddles of blood and flesh on the floor.

"Alli what are we going to do about this? We can't just walk away and leave it. Mr. Simpson would have a fit."

"Yeah, and they wouldn't have to look far to pin this on us. I mean look at us."

Clare looked down at herself. There was no rescuing her shirt at this point and the bottoms of her jeans were dark and stiff from drying blood. She took a deep breath and grimaced as pain lanced through the wound she sustained fighting Jenna. She tried to hide the trembling of her bottom lip as fresh blood oozed from the open cut.

Alli didn't look much better. Her bangs were plastered to her head and she had a smear of dirt below her eye. Her makeup had melted leaving her looking like a sad clown and her tights were tatters on her oozing legs.

"I never imagined it would go down like this," Clare said with a whimper, "what are we going to do?"

000

It was that last whimper that did it, that brought Eli whipping around the corner. Being a vampire it was near impossible to tell he had sped up, only that he was further down the hall than he had appeared before.

He had promised himself that he would stay away from her, but he just couldn't help himself. She was in distress, she needed him, and even if it would mean his death, he was going to be there for her.

The smell of blood and battle filled the hall in an overpowering wave. He knew if he forked his tongue just a tiny bit forward, he'd be able to taste the blood in the air. Clare was standing in the doorway of the student government room with Alli and the too looked a little worse for wear.

Holding his hands up he slowly approached them.

"Alli, you're a seer," ignoring her look of shock at the sight of him he continued, "I'm a vampire alright, I know instinctively what you are. Yes, I know Clare can kill me with her pinky but for right now, ignore the natural animosity you seem to have towards me and let me help you."

Alli's face was tight with distrust, but eventually she nodded and stepped back so that Eli could see into the classroom."

"Damn, you guys took down Jenna."

"How did you –"

"She's the only pregnant succubus at Degrassi. It's deductive logic."

"Oh."

"Plus her murdered spawn is everywhere. I don't know how you guys accomplished that. I mean she's old. Plus she was pregnant. Even I would have some difficulty taking her out."

For the first time Clare smiled. So did Alli.

Eli frowned and sniffed the air. "Umm, but she took a chunk out of Clare and scratched you up pretty bad Alli."

Looking around casually he tossed his arms around both girls and ushered them into the room and closed the door.

"Look I'm going to help you clean this mess up, but you guys are going to have to trust me okay?"

Alli looked defiant for a moment, but then surveying the situation she nodded along with Clare, who was so caught up in their situation that Eli didn't have his usual disarming effect on her.

"Clare, I want you to think really hard on this word –therapeuoo.*"

Clare nodded and then screamed, clutching her hand to her side, she turned to him gasping, "What did you –"

Eli covered her mouth with his hand and clamped one hand on Alli's shoulder to keep her from attacking him.

"When I move my hand from your mouth you are not to scream. Just move your hand and look down at your side."

Clare nodded and Eli moved his hand from her mouth but not from Alli's shoulder. They looked down and gasped. Clare's skin was stretching and netting together along the gash. It was her skin literally pulling itself together that was causing her so much pain.

Alli looked at Eli, "Will that work for me?"

He shook his head. "I can't sense a healing power in you. What exactly happened to Clare that made her so powerful? If the same thing happened to you then I could be wrong and it would work for you too."

"So that's a no then."

"There is a solution that we could use if it doesn't gross you out too much."

"What is it?"

Eli didn't answer. Instead he grabbed Clare's arm and then slid a nail down her arm. It opened up a tiny gash and he dipped his fingers into the welling blood.

"If you're going to do what I think then let me bleed out."

"Alli, let him."

Alli sighed and relented, letting Eli rub Clare's blood up and down her legs. Even as they watched the cuts close up Alli said, "I'd like to go on record as saying that's really disgusting."

"Disgusting, but you're healed up aren't you? Besides, Clare is the physical manifestation of purity at this point. Her blood is also an antiseptic."

"Whatever Eli, how are we going to get rid of this?" she said sweeping her hand out to indicate the room which was ravaged. There were claw marks on the furniture and walls, in addition to the blood and gore.

"Well seer, this where you and I come in."

"Let me guess you have the mad janitorial skills."

"Fun and funny. No. I need you to cloak this room while I get my flunkies to clean this room from top to bottom."

"Cloak it?"

"Oh dear – you are a natural aren't you."

"What?"

You managed to cloak Clare successfully from so I assumed that you knew how to control that ability. I guess it's defensive. Look I know your power lies in Greek roots, but you're just going to have to borrow my strength while I summon my flunkies. You're going to have to do it in Latin. Now think of how you want this room hidden."

Alli imagined Sav and Holly J headed to the room and not seeing the door, then walking by it thinking they had accomplished whatever they had set out to do. She looked at Eli whose eyes were burning bright red.

"Repeat after me. Datum perficiemus munus.*"

Alli did as he said, and then turned to him. "Nothing's changed."

"That's because we're standing inside the room. Once we get outside we'll be the only one's able to find it because we were inside during the incantation."

"What are we going to do for clothes?"

"Must I think of everything?" Eli rolled his eyes and stomped out of the room. He stuck his head back in. "Meet me in the parking lot. I'll drive you home and back before third period."

By this time, now out of her shock Clare watched him leave with a longing look in her eyes. "Do you think he could ever change – so I don't have to kill him?"

Alli shook her head. "Ditz – do you mean become significantly less evil or less undead?"

"Shut up. You dated an incubus."

"Which goes to show you –no he can't change."

"You ever consider lying to spare my feelings?"

"Why would I ever do that?"

"Come on. Let's get moving to the parking lot. I don't want to be seen by anyone."

"I can fix that."

"Shut up."

***Therapeuoo – heal**

*** Datum perficiemus munus – Mission given, mission accomplished**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 and I'm thinking of ending the tale here uncompleted. I don't like begging for reviews…but I don't exactly see enough interest that I should finish it. If you want to see the very exciting conclusion to this –because it's been all completed and outlined for awhile now then review. I'm not giving you a number or anything…I just want to know that enough people are into this so that it's not a time waster… **

**This chapter is a bit shorter…because Chapter 9 is shaping out to be lengthy because we're going into Eli's head…that's if there is a Chapter 9. I'm leaving it to my readers…**

**I don't own Degrassi.**

**Chapter Eight**

Clare and Alli walked towards the hearse in the parking lot. They arrived at the door just as Eli came running down the front steps of Degrassi.

"How did you guys know that the hearse was mine?"

"Wild guess," Alli said even as she rolled her eyes at him. "The first time I saw you, it was you getting out of the driver's side of this baby. It's then I realized that I had **NO **reason for me to ever mistrust you."

Eli gave her a fake smile –"I guess you can just run behind my car all the way home then."

With t hat said he opened the driver's side door and climbed in. Alli gave him a dirty look, "Not when I have Clare to protect."

Eli looked at Clare who was glowering at Alli. "She looks like she can keep up."

"Keep up from the passenger seat," Clare said opening the door and hopping in, "I'm getting a ride, even if it kills you."

"Kills me?" Eli asked, "How were you planning on getting back to Degrassi?"

"I didn't say when. Besides did it some how skip your attention that you are the big evil at Degrassi?"

"Degrassi, not Toronto. Also, I don't know if it skipped **YOU**, but I am not a threat to you."

Clare turned to Eli who smiled at her and turned the key in the ignition. Alli opened the back and dove in, "Less evil or less undead Clare.

Clare turned and scowled at Alli. The scowl turned into a full on glare when Alli started laughing because the engine refused to turn over.

"Maybe I should just walk home. I'm sure I'll get there faster. A lot faster."

Eli glared at her and held his fingers to the ignition. Both Alli and Clare felt a magical charge to the air as the engine came roaring to life.

"I didn't know vamps could do that," Alli said in a small voice.

"Most can't."

Eli grinned at her and showed a little fang. "Plus I have a little seer ability too."

He pulled out of the parking lot and headed in the direction he had seen Alli and Clare walking that morning.

"Show-off/"

"Antediluvian."

"Nosy."

"Delusional."

"Dinghy."

"See nothing."

"Fangless."

"Powerless"

"Wet noodle."

"Blonde."

"Hey! Ding-dong."

"Five year olds!"

"Huh?" both Eli and Alli said.

"I'm actually riding in a hearse with five year olds."

"Sorry," Eli said, although his smirk said he was not the least bit repentant.

"He started it."

"Did not."

"I swear Alli if you say did too I will jump in the back and murder you."

"But he did…."

"Bloody murder."

"…too."

Eli swerved and narrowly missed hitting a car as Clare turned and launched herself over the backseat. He chuckled and shook his head. Two millennia and girls were still the same.

000

Alli got out of Eli's care looking as if she were escaping a horror film. There was a cut underneath her eye and her shirt was ripped in two down the middle and leggings were ribbons of material in the back of the hearse.

"So sorry, I'll be ten – twenty minutes tops."

"Ok," Eli moved off as soon as she shut the door. Eli continued driving down unto Clare's street and looked into the back. Clare's hair was matted unto her face and he could smell the blood welling out of her split lip.

"So Clare, are you guys ready for you know….well are you prepared?"

To Clare's surprise he pulled up directly in front of her house. He came to a halt and she vaulted into t he front seat.

"How did you…"

"Not to gross you out, but this house has your strength coming pretty strongly from it. It practically reeks of Clare."

"Mmm…back to what you were saying, what do you mean are we ready?"

"I mean, I walked in on a big mess today. I could smell the carnage before I even entered the building. If I could smell that then Fit- then other vampires, older more experienced vampires who aren't in love with you, they could smell it as well. They won't let it ride. They'll be coming. I need to know you can defend yourself."

"Alli trained me before and I was the best in the world. Surely you know that."

"Alli can barely remember anything from the past. A reincarnated being – even if it is a minor deity isn't going to remember much from their past life. That's how it's supposed to be."

"I can train. I'm not like other reincarnated beings. My past is literally always with me."

"I knew you were reincarnated Clare, I knew that before you came sauntering in this morning, lifting trees and cars with your sheer natural force. I knew just looking at you."

"I didn't saunter. I'm telling you Eli I can handle myself."

"I'm not saying you can't – but I'm just telling you, you're going to need help. Let me help you."

"Look Eli, what we have between us is pretty intense – and we both know how far back it goes because I can access my memories any time I need to. I know how much you mean to me- but I can't let you get too close. You know why."

Overhead the sunny sky became grey and overcast. Little drops or rain hit the roof of the hearse. Eli was aware that the air inside the car had become arctic. He could see each warm huff of air Clare emitted.

"Yes, okay, I'm going to have to pay for my little vampire crimes at your hands. The real tragedy of the situation is that I am ridiculously in love with you; every you that you have ever been, I've had the dumb luck to fall in love with. That's what I'm being punished for."

"I'm sorry loving me is so hard on you- I've only been doomed to be repeatedly murdered because I've been so insensitive to you and your needs. If I could only see how I'm making complete stranger repeatedly murder me..."

"I'm sorry for that Clare – but then you should understand why I have to protect you. Do you even know why Alli would shield you the first time I saw you? Because she correctly read my intentions. I would do anything, **ANYTHING** to keep you – to protect you. Even if it meant changing you and going underground until you could manage the sun. Which is why its so important for me to know that you can defend yourself should it come to the worst."

Claire was silent for a long time, but then she took his hand and caressed it slowly. She sucked in her breath slowly and expelled a stream of warm air when she felt how cool and smooth his skin was, like living marble. She chuckled to herself as outside the trees began to thrash around.

"I don't know why I do this still."

"What the trees?"

She shook her head sadly, "No breathe."

She took the hand that she was holding; ignoring the shock on his face and shuddering slightly placed it on her chest right above her heart. At first Eli was content to let it rest there, but then he recoiled in shock when he realized that her heart wasn't beating.

"How?"

She smiled as he gasped again as he felt a dull thud against his hand, as her heart kick started then started to beat steadily.

"What?"

"Last night I was the reincarnation of five incredible women-some of them girls really – but in order to find out, to meet them, Alli had to ritually kill me. I'm already dead Eli- never to enter Anubis' courts unless it is my choice. No man can hurt me."

"What about a god?"

"I can take them too – because you and I both know the truth of what they are."

Eli nodded – and then looked at her quizzically.

"Five women? I've only spent four lives with you. You mean there is a time where I didn't know you? A life in which I didn't love you?"

"Clarjohne is the first reincarnation."

"Did I know you-?"

"Yes- and I'll answer your other question. Yes I did love you. I hadn't loved you so much, I probably would have lived a normal life and be slumbering in my grave right now. Clare would be a fresh soul."

"Who were you – in my life?"

Clare gave him a sad smile. "Someone you should know. I was promised to be yours. I don't need you to defend me because when I was alive I was the deadliest assassin in existence. I was trained in the shadows of Elysia for near forty years by Threyskia herself. I wasn't a fighter – I was a weapon."

He leaned forward and pressed his head against hers."I knew you- how did you die? An old woman alone in her bed?"

"Eli –Ejaan hear me. I was promised to you. You know how I died. I died –but not as any old woman. I was avenging your death and the betrayal of your sister by your so-called friend Obaj."

If Eli could turn pale or suddenly change color he would have probably turned bone white or stone grey.

Clare nodded at the memory she saw surfacing in his eyes.

"Who killed you?"He demanded hoarsely.

At that moment every panel of glass in Eli's hearse shattered inwards and Clare and Eli naturally leaned into each other to protect themselves from the flying glass that was surrounding them. Even with the sound of exploding glass and whistling air Eli still heard her stilted whisper…"You did."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 at last…Sorry if you thought I cancelled it. Enough people reviewed for me to feel okay about continuing. It took me awhile to write this because I hit a tricky patch. I hate stories where there is no continuity (hate it on tv too….like a doctor covered in blood and he walks through the door and come out in clean scrubs-really HawthoRNe…) I had no idea what to do…but then I said..hey –they're all powerful vampires – they can pull stuff out the air if they had to…and they had to – in a makes sense and is not a complete leap realistically or even in fantasy- I noticed a hurdle I'm going to have to make in future chapters (continuity) but I got this with SCIENCE – love that field~ Anywhoo..Sorry for the triple post- but I want you to believe that I can spell words –even if they are silly homophones…oh and that I can follow my own continuity rules…**

**I don't own Degrassi. But I totally own the lyrics to the Ritual Song**

**Chapter Nine**

Clare opened the car door and limped awkwardly towards her front door, the heel on one of her shoes broken. Almost absent mindedly Eli waved one hand in the air and the glass in the car rose off the seats and fit themselves neatly back into the window and the windshield.

His mind drifted back to the day that his father told him that he would be marrying Saarasha.

**Distant Past**

"_I don't get it father. Why am I marrying Dmitir's daughter? She's so quiet and timid. Like a mouse. I don't like her. She peeks at me from the stairs when you send me over to visit with them."_

"_Do you want a loud brawler for a wife? What is that Proverb? It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house."_

"_Yes, but what is she like? Is her mind informed? Is she a good worker? Will she speak well of me at the gates? Can she run a house?"_

"_Ejaan, you worry too much. Her sister Talia was married off not too long ago and her husband is well-pleased with her. She has already borne him twin sons. Sons Ejaan. A man needs that."_

"_We're not going to be locked away for the rest of our days father. A man needs more than that."_

"_Her mother is the daughter of the Egyptian high-priest. She is informed Ejaan. You know they spare no expense in educating their children, even the girls are not above education."_

"_Well I say it's strange marrying someone you haven't even had a good look at."_

"_Would you desire a woman, known by every man before you her husband has even gone in to her?"_

"_No Father but…"_

"_You know that as a virtuous woman her face is hidden that no man may tell a lie upon her, claiming to have lain with her, when in fact that is not the case. He would have to truthfully lain with her to get a look at her face."_

"_I know, but I think as her husband I should see her."_

"_Well she's had a good look at you and she hasn't run screaming. Have you seen Theythisia her mother? That is a fine woman…and Talia is a beautiful woman to look at as well. I doubt that her sister is any less. She's the jewel in her father's crown."_

"_So you say."_

"_Dmitir is a shrewd man. This is a betrothal and a business deal. You are my only son, my heir. Therefore you are more valuable to me than anything I own. He could only offer me something of equal value._

_Ejaan snorted, but he knew by the tone of his father's words that this conversation was over and that there would be no more talk of his future wife. _

_His father beamed at him "Now that you have built your house my son, why do you linger in mine?"_

"_To find when this wedding shall be? What is the hindrance?"_

"_This is a delicate thing. Her mother is proud of her children's fertility. They were waiting for it to be the way of women with her … someone wants grandchildren right away."_

_Ejaan blushed red. His father chuckled. "The wedding is set for next week. Today is the last day of her ritual purification. Her mother has requested the time to prepare a feast. It's not everyday the children of the two most powerful families in all Samaria get married."_

"_I weary of this. Father if you have no need of me?"_

_Olran burst out laughing."You mention a woman's time and all the boys want to flee the room. You best become familiar with it my son. If she is as beautiful as I suspect, knowledge of her time will become your best friend."_

"_Father?" Ejaan said impatiently with smirk. He didn't want to let on that he was still embarrassed at the talk of his future wife's menses. A plan was also forming in his head – a way to get what he really wanted…a good look at his wife._

"_No Ejaan. Go to."_

_Ejaan strode out his father's storeroom and hastened in the direction of the Yarkon. It was the last day of her ritual purification and she was to be new bride. They would be taking her to wash in the river and performing the rites of a new bride over her as well._

_He ran until he came to a heavily wooded area that ran along side the river. Following a near dry wadi he heard the sound of women singing. He knew that he had found the right group when he spotted the bright flame of Theythisia's hair. He heard low mournful singing and he saw a group of women surrounding a heavily veiled figure._

_**Oh women of Samaria**_

_**Where are you taking **_

_**This mother's child**_

_**This little girl**_

_**Where are you taking me?**_

_Her voice is clear and beautiful, Ejaan thought to himself. He heard the traditional response of the women._

_**Oh daughter **_

_**We take you to the banks of Yarkon**_

_**We take you**_

_**To wash away **_

_**The blood of your childhood**_

_**For you are one of us**_

_**A woman at last**_

_**Oh daughter**_

_**We go**_

_**We go**_

_It was an incredibly beautiful and sad song. He remembered when he heard his sisters practicing the song before they became women. He continued listening and following. His heart beat quickly. In another two verses he was going to look upon his bethrothed._

_**Oh mother**_

_**Mother **_

_**Is it true?**_

_**Have I left my girlhood behind forever?**_

_**Have I left childhood?**_

_**Or will I find it again?**_

_Theythisia held a porcelain jar in her hand. She dipped it in the waters of the Yarkon and then gave the full jar to Talia, her other daughter who was heavily pregnant. She held her hand out to the veiled figure that took it confidently and stepped they stepped into the water together. _

_**Daughter girlhood is behind you**_

_**Oh my daughter my dove**_

_**Let me wash away this tiresome past**_

_**That it troubles you no more**_

_**Oh my daughter **_

_**My speckled bird **_

_**Let us remove this veil of childhood**_

_**For you will be a wife at last**_

_Theythisa took hold of one side of the veil, Talia passed the jar to a servant and took the other, Ejaan recognized Ula, Saarasha's sister-in-law and Bethany her grandmother as the ones who lifted the other sides of her veil. They raised it up over her head and it floated above them as a canopy. The four women took four steps forward and holding the veil aloft. They turned to face the center and came together folding the veil once, and then they deftly turned it so that again they were holding the four ends. Again they met in the center. Again they folded the veil until there was nothing but a square. One of the servants cradled it in her hands. Talia took the jar from the other servant and passed it smiling to her mother._

_Ejaan barely noticed. He was entranced by sparkling brown almond-shaped eyes and gently waving locks of light brown hair with auburn highlights. Her posture was perfect and she held herself with grace and poise. She was smiling and he noted that she had all her teeth. She wore a simple white dress and he noted that she had a good figure beneath it. She looked in his direction, but Ejaan was certain that she could not see him. Just at that moment Theythisia poured the jar of water over her head, and Ejaan saw her steel herself not to cry out at the shock o f the cold water pouring over her skin. Her dress was now transparent and plastered to her body. Ejaan turned away when he realized he could see through the dress._

_**O granddaughter have you come to join us**_

_**Here in the land of womanhood**_

_**Let me baptize you beneath the flowing river**_

_**That brings forth life**_

_**As your womb will some day do**_

_With that Bethany dipped Saarasha beneath the water and she came up smiling. Talia and  
Ula came towards her singing…_

_**Where is our little sister gone**_

_**Who is this woman before us**_

_**Is this the girl**_

_**My mother's dove?**_

_**Let us anoint you little one**_

_**With spikenard and other **_

_**Aromatic oils**_

_**Open your mouth**_

_**That we may place sugar on your tongue**_

_**That your words will always**_

_**Sweeten the ears of the one that you love**_

_Ejaan had seen enough. He turned and headed towards his father's fields. On his way there he ran into Obaj and Seth. They took a look at him and laughed._

"_You have the look of a moondrunk fool."_

"_So they say of lovers Seth."_

"_He is in love? And what fair lady has caught your fancy? You know mere days before your wedding?"_

"_Oh, my lady wife…of late I have seen her and truly she is a gift from God."_

_Seth's eyes flashed but Ejaan was too caught up with his glimpse of Saarasha to even notice._

"_You've seen her? Ejaan – she's a loose woman. We must alert your father at once. She can't be trusted!"_

_Obaj began to move with a determined stride towards Ejaan's father's house, but Ejaan caught up with him._

"_I am the one at fault. I spied her at a vulnerable moment. It was during her rites at the Yarkon. She has a fair battalion of maids and even her own mother to prove that she is not at fault, but that it is indeed I who am to blame."_

_Obaj looked at Ejaan and then at Seth. "So then most reluctant of husbands, how did you find your betrothed?"_

"_Reluctant?" Ejaan said with a smirk –"To quote Jacob- give me my wife!"_

_**The day before the wedding.**_

_Ejaan was sitting in the front of his house watching the people walking back and forth, servants cleaning, servants from Saarasha's house bringing her things into his house, their house. A smile played across his lips as he imagined riding up to her house. She would be there in the midst of a row of maids all heavily veiled and all the same height. He thought of the token he had let fall at the bottom of the stairwell, knowing that she was watching. He wanted to be certain of the woman that he was taking to be his bride._

_He turned and bumped into Obaj who had a serious look on his face. _

"_Ejaan you must come to the Shearer's Wadi right away. It's Sunil."_

_At the mention of his sister's name Ejaan signaled to his servant for two horses, because it was apparent to him that Obaj had run all the way to him. As soon as the horses were brought around they set out for the wadi, Ejaan trying to match Obaj's break neck pace._

_When they got to the dry riverbed where the shepherds sheared their sheep during the spring Ejaan could see that the riverbed was no longer dry but coated in blood. His friend Seth was weeping and holding the body of Sunil close to him. Eli could see a terrible gash on her neck where blood flowed and he also saw that her wrists were slit. What shocked Ejaan were the blood tears that were pouring from Seth's eyes. He could hear Obaj's gasp as he realized that their friend was crying blood._

"_What happened?" he demanded dismounting in one swift movement. Ejaan never forgot the look in Seth's eyes when he said,"She killed her. Nephthys killed her."_

"_The Egyptian goddess came all the way to Samaria to kill my little sister? Why would she do that?"_

_Obaj came forward. "Why wasn't she in the court of women? Why wasn't she safe Seth?"_

"_Because she came to see me. Because we were in love."_

_Ejaan let out a cry of sorrow and disbelief. "Then you have betrayed me and my family. You have dishonored my sister, and now she is dead. You can only pay for this with your life."_

_He withdrew his scitmar and ran at Seth screaming, when Seth quietly said, "You're sister Sumaya is in danger as well."_

_That stopped Ejaan in his tracks. What?"_

"_Sunil and Sumaya were twins. Nephthys does not know this. She will think that perhaps something went amiss and she will kill Sunil as well."_

"_Oh , the Gehenna with you! What have you wrought on my house!"He fell to his knees and began to rock back and forth._

_Obaj came forward. Why would an Egyptian goddess care to come back and kill his other sister?"_

"_She would care, and she would come."_

"_Yes, but why?"_

"_Because she is my wife."_

"_That's impossible because that would make you a god."_

"_I am a god, if you would call me that. I am Set, god of the desert, darkness and chaos."_

"_Which is exactly what you have brought to my doorstep."_

"_I didn't mean to fall in love with her. I didn't even come to Samaria to fall in love. I came because I was already in love."_

"_What?"_

"_I loved Theythisia. Her parents worshipped me and they offered her as a maid in my house. This meant she was a chosen sacrifice to me. But her father's greed won out, and when Dmitir came with courtship and the offer of a bride price, well he just couldn't give it up. But I never let go of what is mine. I tracked her all the way here, but then I saw how happy she was, and when I spoke to her, I realized I would never have her. I wanted her to suffer, but found that I could not. Then one day I met little Sunil and Sumaya out in the garden with their father."_

"_You were Datna- their imaginary friend?"_

_Seth nodded. "I fell in love with Sunil, and to her credit, your sister never dishonored your family, only met with me in secret. I finally had enough purchase in this place to put in a reasonable offer with your father, but then I found out that she was betrothed to someone else I was going to offer her immortality and we were going to go away together. Alas Nephthys and her stupid spy Apeppa discovered her. She came with her deadliest assassin Anubis- who opened his gaping maw and swallowed your sister's soul. Now I have placed Sumaya in danger as well."_

"_What can I do to save my sister?"_

"_She must be married at once to someone that can protect her. Isn't she engaged to Obaj? Can you not speed up the preparations?"_

_Obaj nodded._

_Ejaan looked at Seth distrustfully. "It can't be as simple as all that. There has to be something else."_

_Seth looked at Ejaan. His eyes began to burn with an intense green fire. "There must be a sacrifice of like blood."_

"_My blood?"_

"_Your life for your sister's. You must pass through the gates of Anubis."_

_Ejaan fell down. It was unmanly to cry but he felt like bursting into tears. There was his bride, waiting, ready to be enjoyed, his house built and fields prepared. But because of his sister he was going to have to make a difficult decision._

_He bowed his head. Tears rolled from beneath his closed eyes. "Saarasha forgive me."_

_He looked up as he heard Obaj screaming. Seth was advancing upon him, but not the Seth he knew. This was a demon in the body of a man, and it's mouth had escaped the bonds of the human and with long fangs extended Seth moved towards Ejaan- and then there was darkness._

_**Three Days Later**_

_As there had been darkness, there was now an incredible light and a thirst that howled through Ejaan like a desert storm. Where there had been quiet, Ejaan could hear the sound of Seth's laughter and a woman screaming. Then there was nothing._

_Moments later he awoke to Seth standing above me. Obaj was against a wall dry-eyed with terror._

_In a dry rasping voice that sounded like resurrected death Ejaan said, "What am I doing here? I thought you killed me."_

"_I did. I'm a god. I thought it might be fun to bring you back."_

"_If you could do that, why didn't you bring Sunil back?"_

"_She wouldn't drink."_

"_What?"_

_The answer came from Obaj in the corner. "He ripped your throat open Ejaan. I saw it myself, with those teeth of his. But somehow, his tears, they dripped into your wound and your mouth. You became a savage like him, you bit his face open and started lapping at his blood as it came gushing out. I didn't know who would kill who. Then you stiffened, as if you had taken an arrow to the back. Then you fell down and he crawled away panting…but the skin, it healed itself. Just knit together. I don't think he meant for you to survive."_

"_You're correct Obaj. I did not. I meant for him to die, to stay dead, so that I could be avenged on her. "_

"_On Theythisia. I finally found her after she had given birth to Saarasha, and I saw how much she loved her baby, how Dmitir had staked all his future on this little slip of a girl…and I saw my chance for revenge. Sunil was my prize for my patience. I was going to kill you the night before the wedding and take my transformed Sunil and go…away. Far away. But there were complications."_

_Obaj shuddered. "Nephthys and Anubis are the judge and jury of the Set. Set had ripped open your sister and was trying to transform her, but she lost too much blood. She was too weak and he didn't think to open his own veins to save her. Anubis took her with him to take care of her. They returned when your soul reached his gates. They sent you back as one of them to punish him. He's tied to you, and you to him."_

"_Then Saarasha and I?"_

_Obaj shook his head sadly. "No my friend, you must put Saarasha from your mind. That cannot ever be."_

"_But I am alive."_

"_Can a man be alive if his heart does not beat?"_

"_What are you speaking of?"_

_Obaj walked into the hall and came back with a torch. Ejaan hissed and shrank back. Obaj exited the room and came back without the torch._

"_Can a man be alive if he cannot enter the light?"_

_A shrinking horror swept over Ejaan. The burning thirst howled in his throat. Set came over to him and placed a glass of water in his hand. Ejaan took a sip, but it tasted like wet dirt in his mouth and the thirst was even worse._

"_Can a man be alive if he cannot even consume that which brings life?"_

"_What has been done to me?"_

"_You have become like I am – so you must eat as I do."_

_A dawning horror started to come over Ejaan even before Obaj opened the door and yanked in a man bound and gagged._

_Seth passed a nail over the man's throat and a heady aroma of iron and almonds filled the room. Ejaan fought the flame that licked through him. He stuck his tongue out and he could practically taste salt and life in the air._

"_I can't."_

_Seth passed another nail…this time by the jugular. Blood leapt into the air and Ejaan could no longer help himself. Obaj looked toward the door. "God in heaven…Baruch Adonai…"_

_Set heard Obaj praying in the corner…"Not God tonight my friend. Only me."_

_**The Next Day**_

_Seth laughed at Ejaan who was sitting in a corner facing the wall._

"_So proud are we?"_

"_I refuse to acknowledge you."_

"_You cracked that man's bones to lick the marrow. If anyone should be offended it should be me. I'm Egyptian. We don't eat with strangers, much less shepherds. That's what you are you know. A glorified shepherd."_

"_So Anubis punished me too? Doomed me to an eternity of your empty jibes."_

_Seth laughed. "I'll ignore that. I have lived your lifetime and more. I need your attention."_

_Ejaan looked at him. "I had to effect a deception. I couldn't have your father lose both his children in one day."_

_Ejaan gave him his full attention. "My father knows I am alive? He knows I am like this"_

_Seth shook his head."No. I still wanted my revenge on Theythisia. We had your funeral on your wedding night."_

_Seth began to laugh and Ejaan made a fist. Seth barely spared him a glance. "Poor fledgling. I healed your sister's wounds and possessed her body with a wandering spirit. In about three or so months the spirit has instructions to commit suicide. Then I will be rid of that masque."_

"_How will you stop the body from decaying?"_

"_I'm the god of all darkness Ejaan. Necromancy is not out of my range of knowledge."_

"_What of me?"_

"_You'll serve a purpose. You're my fledgling. You'll need blood on a constant basis. There is much for you to learn. I've glamoured Obaj into letting you work for him. Taking care of his enemies…ensuring that he become a very prosperous man."_

"_I won't do it."_

"_Then Saarasha will not live to mourn you. Did I tell you she's gone mad? Demented, wanders the city in her mourning clothes. It would be so simple for her to disappear – or reappear – you know…dead."_

"_You wouldn't."_

"_Oh unlike you Ejaan I would. So will you work for Obaj or not?"_

_Ejaan sighed. Already the hunger was upon him, more intense this time, because he had the taste of blood fresh in his mouth._

"_I'll do it."_

_**A few months later**_

_Ejaan trailed Seth down a dark alley in search of the man that was trying to steal livestock form Obaj and Sumaya._

"_I know Sunil has been dead for many months now, but her funeral brought me back to when I found her. The hurt was just as bad."_

"_What are you A woman?"_

"_That was my sister. If I were still human she would be one of two – but they would be all I had after my parents died. For you she was just one in a series of true loves."  
_

"_After millennia the hurt won't be as bad."_

In the car Eli shook his head at that particular memory. The first time he had thought he had lost Clare the hurting had been unbearable. He had contemplated going into the sun- fortunately cooler heads had prevailed. Every time he lost her, even after he realized that she would come back to him, the hurt was visceral.

"_That was my little sister who I failed to protect. Do you k now how hard it has been watching her walk, talk, eat – but knowing that it was not her- not the real her but some filthy demon in her body – the real her is far beyond my reach."_

"_I wish that I could send you to her – believe me."_

"_End me. It's better than this meaningless existence."_

_Seth heard a sound and looked and saw Saarasha following them. He smelled her sweat on the wind. Quickly he shoved Ejaan to distract him. They began to trade blows and almost missed their target, but the man was dead before he realized what was happening. Seth launched back at Ejaan desperate to distract him till Saarasha ran away. He had no idea what the outcome was – but he was sure that he could manipulate it and Ejaan to his satisfaction._

_**Forty Years Later**_

_Ejaan felt sick. The worst had happened. Sumaya was dead – she had died giving birth to her third child Oni- a beautiful sad eyed little girl. When she smiled she put the sun in the sky for Ejaan, but she was twelve and her father Obaj had yet to make a match for her. She sat in her room growing more beautiful by the day and more unloved and ignored by her father._

_Ejaan hated to think about Obaj who had truly loved Sumaya. For awhile he had become angry and dissolute. He had turned to drinking and ignored his responsibilities. He was a city official who men saw as corrupt, simply because he didn't care enough to stop the things happening in his district._

_He had finally married again, a young woman who Ejaan believed would truly be good for him. Would make him recognize his responsibility to his daughter. He was guarding their marriage chamber trying not to think of the bride and life that had been denied to him._

_He thought of Saarasha gone these forty years. Gone with no trace. Not knowing if she were dead or alive and having to pretend indifference was taking a toll on him. He heard the sound of someone moving in the bed chamber and Ejaan opened the door to see a woman stabbing Obaj and his bride through the heart. Ejaan snarled and leapt forward._

_He flew across the bed in silent dark streak and pressed one foot into her stomach as a kind of lever to help him sail over her back where he spun into a roundhouse that clipped her in the head and brought her to her knees. She threw up an arm that was immediately blocked. She put her leg out and leaned into her opponent so that she could stand and then she raised her leg up and brought it straight down on his shoulder. He grabbed it and pushed her back. She bent at the knee and placed her hand on the ground before he could drag her. He did a side sweep and brought her low and then did a pile driver into her stomach. Her eyes had adjusted the shadow of the room so when he levered over her they widened in shock. But that moment of shock cost them both. Only after he had snapped her neck and the blood lust had settled did he realize it was Saarasha._

_He rocked back on his heels, "What have I done?"_

_He heard Seth laughing just outside the door and he snapped. That was the day his willing servitude to Seth ended and he began to resist. He left Samaria and headed to Rome._

Sitting in the car Eli realized he could hear the laugh of Fitz/Seth and he glanced out the window. Fitz was leaning against a car on the opposite side of the street.

"Naughty, naughty Eli. I'll find a way to kill this one too. I always do. Might even have you do it – again."

Even though Fitz had essentially whispered these words, Eli heard everyone as if Fitz were speaking clearly next to him in the car. At that moment the front door of Clare's house slammed open and Clare came running out clutching a note.

Her hair was still wet and clinging to her neck. She was wearing an A-line skirt and tank top under a denim jacket. She had her feet in a pair of ballerina Tevas on her feet.

"Eli they're gone. They took them. Eli. They took them."

He opened the door and shot around to hold her. She gratefully collapsed against him and he tried to not inhale the strawberry scent of her wet hair.

"Who's gone Clare?"

"My parents. The Coyne's took them."

WADI – dry riverbed that fills up during rain season or when connected to a river. Hence why there would be a Shearer's Wadi because shearing season is in the rainier part of spring – so they can wash the fleece.


	10. Chapter 10

**Well that was a long and completely unnecessary break. I decided that if the world of K-pop can have BTS then you can have me…and I needed a way to get Martin Luther King****처럼 ****out of my head. Thanks a lot BAP! Hope you like it.**

**I frustratedly and admittedly don't own Degrassi. They won't even lend it out on weekends.**

**Chater 10**

"Are you certain that it was the Coynes who kidnapped your parents?"

Clare gave a frustrated growl and thrust a piece of paper at Eli.

Dear Huntress,

Welcome to the subkin world. We should meet to discuss terms.

The Sidhe* Clan of the Coyne

P.S. We have your parents.

"Okay so the Coynes have your parents. What do you want to do?"

"Put a steak on the grill and finally break into that bottle of wine that Mom thinks she has hidden in the closet. What do you think I want to do?"

"Find your parents!"

"Ding ding ding. Point for the marvelous butthead. Show the man what he's won!"

"This sarcasm it doesn't suit you Clare."

"You don't know what suits me Eli."

"I suit you Clare."

"Is now really the time. I need to come up with a plan to bust in and grab my parents and you want to stand around and flirt with me." Clare rolled her eyes and rubbed the back of her head. "I don't know what to do here. This is still new territory for me. I don't want to…"

She let her words trail off, but Eli knew what she actually wanted to say. She didn't want to have to rely on him more than she had to. After all they were still basically enemies. Regardless of any romantic type feelings they might have towards each other . Or had for each other. Things were still a blur.

She smoothed her hands down her skirt and tugged the jacket closed. "I need to get to Alli."

"She's basically a fledgling just as you are. How can she help you?"

"She might be new but her mother is even older than I am. She can help me. She can tell me what to do."

"Fine we'll go skipping over to Alli's house."

"You sound so enthusiastic!"

Eli flipped Clare the bird. She smiled briefly before letting herself into his car. Alli was sitting on the porch with Mrs. Bhandari.

"Mrs. Bhandari. I am so glad to see you, my…."

"Your parents were taken. I know. By the Coynes. You're here to get my help in getting them back."

"How did she…What she….huh?" Eli looked quizzically at Alli and Clare who just smiled back.

"I can see the future. But one does not need to be clairvoyant to know that this would be happening. With the coming of the Huntress the subkin world will be on high alert. Some have been waiting for her forever. She will correct the wrongs and injustices in this world and evil will be thoroughly punished. Some are waiting for her too. To destroy her. She'll be putting a kibosh on all evil you see and some of our kind just cannot have that. Unfortunately the Coynes are power players on the bad side."

"So what are you saying exactly?"

"I am saying that we can't just run in and save them. They might not want to give them up. Your parents are a means of control over you."

Eli looked at Mrs. Bhandari and then back at Clare who was frantically chewing on her bottom lip. "Well that was helpful."

Clare stared blankly at him and then at Mrs. Bhandari who was full on glaring at him. "Can you think of a better plan?"

"Any plan would be a better plan at this point. Even launching cookies of the undead at them would be a better plan because right now we have NO PLAN."

Alli looked at Clare. "Cookies of the Undead?" she mouthed. Clare shrugged. Then smiling mischievously she said loud and clear, "How about zombie cakes."

Mrs. Bhandari and Eli glared daggers at her. An uncomfortable need to laugh bubbled up in Clare's throat.

"I'll let you have that one because your parents are missing but we're not about to YouTube "Shit the Huntress Says" so take those stars out of your eyes."

Mrs. Bhandari stared at Eli. "I know you're not as old as you look….you're older. You should by rights look like what's in my vacuum bag but since you don't , I'm still very much older than you. Can you stop with the cussing?"

"What is it? One of those gag shows where you're all like…You don't know how old I am…but I keep guessing until everyone's uncomfortable. I don't want to play."

Mrs. Bhandari looked at Eli pityingly. "When Moses was on his little 'wilderness staycation' and Assyria was rallying to form in the loins of two people….I existed. You don't want to play with me. I can tell you the true origins of the Pre-Existants. I can tell you tales that would have your hair curl and cause your heart to beat. Don't mess with me."

Eli threw his hands up. "Trust me I know when to back down. But Clare, parents ,missing. You? No help."

"I said I was old not damn retarded."

Clare stalked over to the two of them ignoring a giggling Alli who was seconds away from sinking to the floor. "Enough posturing, who's the most powerful, who's got the most connection, who's got the biggest…pfgt."

Once Alli had realized where Clare was going with her tirade she quickly jumped up and covered her mouth.

"That's my mom dude."

"I need this conversation to move somewhere beyond this room. I need to get to my Mom and my Dad. To make sure that they're safe. That they're not feeding some succubus spawn or something. I have no freaking idea what Sidhe means or even is. Do they feed on humans? Are they running for undead presidents? I don't know. But I know I don't want my parents around them longer than they need to be."

Mrs. Bhandari gave her a tight smile. "I'll chalk your earlier words up to stress and tell you this. I don't understand why they took your parents. Sidhe is an ancient word for fairy or elven. They're like subkin royalty. They usually don't have to involve themselves on any level with the subkin. You've heard the phrase 'luck of the Irish'? It's referring to the Sidhe. It's practically woven into their skin this luck. Whatsoever they touch prospers. Unfortunately even if they turn evil….they still prosper. They can do no wrong and you're dealing with the fearsome Coynes. You'd think all Sidhe would be walking the bad side since they would be able to get away with it. There were other Sidhe families that considered it. But one of the Coynes…they made a deal with some fearsome subkin that had a taste for fairy flesh to feed them their enemies…and since whatever they do naturally prospers…"

"Even their fairy brethren never stood a chance."

"Aye. They would drown them in luck. You can only be truly lucky in any given situation about seven times. It's the heavenly number of perfection. So the Coynes would stand by and send subkin after carnivorous subkin after their foes until their luck ran out."

"So why didn't anyone ever…"

"Try to run 'em dry? They surround themselves with the subkin. Anyone that wandered unto Coyne property that wasn't Coyne kin was instantly devoured. It's a handy way to deal with the enemies."

"So how are we going to get my parents back? They're probably handing out ketchup and Tabasco sauce at the gates. Salivating in anticipation of my appearance."

"Well yes and no. You were invited for talks. So that makes it easier a little on you. While it would be to their advantage to have you instantly devoured in some sort of power play…there are a few things in your future that can't be thwarted. Certain karmic debts that need to repaid. They won't be able to hurt you. Not much anyways."

Clare ran her hands through her hair. "I hate this. I hate this thing that I've become that has automatically put my parents in danger. Just because of who I am. I hate that by being who I am …I hurt them."

Mrs. Bhandari looked at Clare. "Please don't act like you're brand new. All children are born with the potential to hurt their parents. They are born with the ability to destroy them…if they love them. So what your parents don't know that you've died. So what they don't know who you've become. I've got to tell you, I'd be happier if Alli could come back to life if someone hurt her. If she could heal when she was injured. If she could be her own light in the dark. All I have is my visions and the hope that she'll remember what I've taught her. There might be a day where she can't return to me, but Clare unless you choose that …your parents will never know my fears. So suck it up …no pity mes ok?"

They all stared at her and Clare nodded and twisted her hair up and then knotted it to keep it in place.

"So what are we gonna do?"


End file.
